By Tito Natividad Fiel
MANILA -The Department of Justice has
approved the filing of murder and frustrated murder charges against nine men
and several John Does for the slay attempt on Iligan City Rep. Vicente “Varf”
Belmonte.
Facing three counts of murder and
four counts of frustrated murder are former Iligan City Mayor Celso C.
Regencia, Alfeo Arnoco, Amador “Dongki” B. Baller, Rogelio “Kim” Pitos Sr.,
Rogelio Pitos Jr., Romeo “Loloy” Suganub, Peejay Capangpangan, Julito “Bino”
Oros Ansad, Dodo Silvano and several John Does.
The DOJ has dropped the case against
Dominador S. Tumala who is now a government witness.
Belmonte identified his political adversary
Regencia as the possible brains behind the slay try
Tumala, in his affidavit, identified
Regencia as the mastermind.
The resolution prepared by assistant
state prosecutors Olivia L. Torrevillas and Susan Villanueva as well as
prosecution attorney Agnes Farida Bagaforo-Arellano II stated that Tumala’s
testimony was corroborated by other witnesses such as his claim that fugitive
Capangpangan joined the former mayor in the slay attempt. Witness Raul
Warak-warak said he saw Regencia and Capangpangan meeting with a group of
people in a farmhouse.
Tumala’s testimony that they were
given M-16 and a carbine was corroborated by Cleofo Gaid Jr., according to Mark
Lu Apag, who said they both saw a van coming from the burst of gunfire and saw
three persons armed with long firearms.
Tumala also said the testimony of
one of the victims affirmed that they were able to hit Ansad during the attack.
“The panel concluded that these
circumstances and positive assertions from witnesses effectively gave credit to
respondent Tumala’s narration of the incident that transpired prior to, during,
and after the incident,” the resolution stated.
Belmonte and his convoy were
attacked by armed men on board a white L-300 van on Dec. 11, 2014, along Access
Road in Barangay Gasi, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, on their way to Iligan
City.
A gunfight ensued, leading to the
death of Police Officer 3 Mark A. Andres, Eustaquio Silawan and France Ian
Dumaguing and injury of respondent Ansad.
“The facts and circumstances
presented show a concurrence of acts of the respondents toward a unified
purpose of consummating the overt act of ambushing complainants,” the
resolution stated.
The resolution was approved by
senior deputy state prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and prosecutor general
Claro Arellano.
As of this report no comment heard
from the camp of incumbent Mayor Celso Regencia about the case.
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