Lanao del Norte mayor yields for slay of political rival

FIREARMS CACHE Soldiers inspect high-powered firearms and bullets recovered after a raid on a satellite office of Mayor Jabar Tago of Pantar, Lanao del Norte province.—RICHEL V. UMEL / FILE PHOTO

ILIGAN CITY – Mayor Jabar Tago of Pantar, Lanao del Norte province on Tuesday surrendered to the court, which issued a warrant for his arrest over the killing of his political rival in 2016.

Tago and his brother, Jameloding, showed up at the sala of Judge Silvestre Orejana in connection with the murder case filed against them for the ambush-slay of former Pantar mayor Exchan Limbona.

They were now under custody of the Iligan City Police Office, according to Senior Superintendent Leony Roy Ga, the city police chief.

On May 28, Orejana said there was probable case to order the arrest of Tago and his brother for Limbona’s killing.

Silvestre recommended no bail for the crime of murder against the mayor and his brother.

Tago and Limbona both ran in the 2016 mayoral race in Pantar but Limbona was declared winner.

Tago had contested the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) declaration of Limbona as winner.

His election protest was still being tackled when Limbona was ambushed here.

Based on court records, Limbona was driving in Barangay Dalipuga and had his wife and daughter as passengers.

He died while being treated at a hospital but his family was unscathed.

His wife, Geneva, later told investigators that the Tago siblings were among the gunmen who ambushed them.

She eventually filed murder charges against the Tago siblings, docketed as criminal case no. 18-21406.

Tago eventually assumed Pantar’s mayorship five months ago after the Comelec found his petition against Limbona’s victory factual.

Tago and his brother – along with three others – were arrested on May 13 after a combined team of soldiers and policemen found 15 assorted firearms inside his satellite office in Pantar, during a raid there.

However, he and the other suspects were freed from detention when Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers and Muslim Concerns Abdullah Mama-o interceded.