Suspect in slay of Negros town councilor, uncle freed

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. comforts Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Garcia Yulo following the ambush-slay of her brother and nephew on April 25, 2019. Photo by Richard Malihan

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines–The Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office ordered the release of one of the two suspects arrested for their alleged involvement in the ambush that killed a councilor and his uncle in Moises Padilla town, Negros Occidental.

In a resolution released on Friday night, Associate Prosecution Attorney II Ken Furuyama said there was no sufficient evidence to warrant the continued detention of Moises Padilla Councillor Agustin Grande III for the murder of town Councilor Michael Garcia and his uncle Mark Garcia.

But he affirmed the validity of the warrantless arrests made on Joe Palacios Cezar, who was also linked in the killing.

Double murder complaints were filed against Grande and Cezar at the prosecutor’s office following their arrest on Friday for the killing of the Garcias on Thursday.

But Furuyama said there was no basis to detain Grande, arrested after he was seen talking to Roberto Saulog inside the latter’s residential compound before the shooting occurred.

Saulog was identified as one of those who fired at the convoy of the Garcias following a sortie in Moises Padilla last Thursday.

“Bare suspicion cannot justify warrantless arrest against him, thus his release from custody is recommended,” the prosecutor said.

“Grande is released from custody unless otherwise detained for some other lawful causes,” he added.

The police said 30 people participated in the ambush – seven of whom had been identified.