By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Moises Padilla police yesterday filed double murder charges against incumbent Moises Padilla Municipal Councilor Agustin ‘Nene’ Grande, Barangay Tanod Joe Cesar, and five “John Does” in connection with the deaths of the former Association of Barangay Captains President Mark Garcia and his nephew, Moises Padilla Municipal Councilor Michael Garcia.

Moises Padilla police chief, Police Captain Junjie Liba, said both Grande and Cesar are currently detained at the Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station. They were arrested Thursday afternoon, several hours after a convoy carrying Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo was ambushed at Purok Dresden in the town’s Barangay Inolingan, which ended with the two casualties.

The two were identified after witnesses claimed to have seen them in the area during the incident.

Earlier, the vice mayor held a press conference with Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. and former Negros Occidental fourth district Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, where she claimed a politician was behind the ambush.

Both Grande and slain Moises Padilla Municipal Councilor Jolomar Hilario, who was killed earlier this month, were running under the slate of incumbent Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña.

Following the incident, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental will seek the Comelec en banc in order to place the town under their control./DGB, WDJ