Four officials of the Moises Padilla government, including the vice mayor, have been on leave for three months now after they were allegedly tagged in the murder of Councilor Jolomar Hilario in March 2019.
Warrants for the arrest of Vice Mayor Adrian Villaflor, councilors Vincent Garcia, Jose Morito Flores, and Jimmie Don Plaza, and several others were issued by La Carlota City Regional Trial Court Judge Cyclamen Jison Fernandez in February.
The murder case is a non-bailable offense.
In a statement issued Wednesday, June 2, Villaflor said that he was on official leave.
“Contrary to the fake news and the lies being spread around, I am not in hiding. As a dedicated public servant in the town of Moises Padilla, my office continues to perform and fulfill the duties and responsibilities as best as we can. However, recent circumstances have continued to put my life in danger and forced me to take the necessary precaution for my personal safety and security as well as for my family,” he said.
He added, “I cannot take for granted the continuing threats to my life, liberty and security. I cannot and will not be reckless to ignore the threats which can no longer be taken lightly.”
On the murder charge against him and others, he said they already filed a petition for review with the Department of Justice and are waiting for its result.
He said that the killing of Hilario was “publicly claimed by the New People’s Army and implicating us in the crime is totally unfair, uncalled for and baseless.”
“I have been the target of a certain personality in the province who previously had filed a series of trumped-up cases against me and were dismissed by the concerned government agencies. I still believe that we will be vindicated because God knows we have nothing to do with it,” he said.
Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo, who was also linked in the killing of Hilario, confirmed that the officials have been on leave since March and that she doesn’t know when they will be back for work.
She said that the Sangguniang Bayan council members are still conducting sessions as there is still a quorum even with the absence of the others, although she noted that there had been complaints of the “slow” passage of resolutions and ordinances.
She said that there was no arrest warrant issued against her because she was in jail when the alleged meeting of the respondents to plot the killing took place.
The case was transferred to the Guihulngan City RTC and they are appealing that it be moved to Bacolod for security reasons, she added.*