The lives of six Moises Padilla residents, five of whom are local officials, will at last return to normal with their recent release from detention after posting bail, Mayor Celestina Garcia Yulo said Monday, June 27.
The six have been falsely accused of the murder of Moises Padilla councilor Jolomar Hilario in 2019, she said.
Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ian Villafor and Councilor Jimmie Don Plaza were released from the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation on Saturday.
Councilors Morito Flores and Vincent Garcia, and Quintin Remo Barangay Captain Fely Villaflor and her husband, Jonathan, were released from the custody of the Moises Padilla police on Friday.
The Guihulngan Regional Trial Court allowed them to post bail of P200,000 each, the mayor said.
The six have denied involvement in the killing of Hilario, which has been claimed by the New People’s Army.
The vice mayor and councilor Vincent Garcia were reelected to their posts in the May 9 polls.
Plaza and Flores lost their re-election bids.
The mayor said their release will allow the Sangguniang Bayan to return to its regular functions with the return of the vice mayor.
“I am happy they were released so their lives can return to normal with their families”, Garcia said.*