Moises Padilla vice mayor, 2 councilors urged to also surrender ‘to attain freedom’

Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo is urging Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor, Councilors Jimmiedon Nonoy Plaza and Vincent Garcia to surrender in view of the warrant of arrest issued in connection with the killing of Councilor Jolomar Hilario in 2019.

The warrant of arrest was issued in February this year.

The three maintained innocence of the crime, and Mayor Garcia-Yulo said Hilario’s murder was owned up by the New People’s Army (NPA).

“The first step to freedom is to surrender. If you won’t surrender the case will not move … will take a long time. Once the case is in motion, the court will see the truth… You just have to go through the process,” the mayor said.

Garcia-Yulo believes they will eventually be acquitted. She describes the charges as “recycled and politically-motivated”.

She said their lawyers have filed a motion for bail. Hopefully it will be granted, she added.

She claimed they “were charged five times of the same crime”.

Earlier, the mayor facilitated the surrender of three others implicated in the crime – Quintin Remo Barangay Captain Felisa Villaflor and husband Jonathan Villaflor, and Councilor Jose Morito Flores. The three have maintained innocence of the charges.

The mayor who was also implicated in the crime was cleared after it was proven that she was in prison then.

On his part, Villaflor refuted reports he is in hiding. In a recent statement, the vice mayor said: “This is to inform my beloved constituents, the people of Moises Padilla, everyone concerned and the public that I am on official leave … contrary to the fake news and the lies being spread around, I am not in hiding.”

The issue came about after a warrant of arrest was issued against Villaflor and several others, implicating them in the murder of town councilor Hilario.

Villaflor added that, “my office continues to perform and fulfill the duties and responsibilities as best as we can.”
He said recent circumstances have continued to put his life in danger and forced him to take the necessary precaution for his and his family’s safety and security.*