By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Incumbent Moises Padilla Municipal Councilor Agustin ‘Nene’ Grande III, who was detained on accusations of being connected to the recent murders of fellow Municipal Councilor Michael Garcia and the town’s former Liga ng mga Barangay President Mark Garcia, was released by the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Prosecutor Ken Furuyama, Grande was released on insufficient legal and factual basis for his arrest, along with a lack of probable cause.
However, Moises Padilla municipal police chief, Police Captain Junji Liba, said the town official will still undergo paraffin tests.
Grande’s legal counsel, Atty. Bartolome Malde, Jr., said the councilor’s camp is happy following the decision and claimed it is “proof” Grande was never involved in the ambush. Meanwhile, the town official hopes the conduct of elections in Moises Padilla will be peaceful and successful.
For the second suspect, Barangay Tanod Joe Cezar, he was ordered by the prosecutor to submit a counter-affidavit over the double murder allegations.
Last week, the two were gunned down while campaigning in the town’s Barangay Inolingan.
Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo 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.
In response to the incident, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said they will seek the Comelec en banc in order to place the town under their control.
Additional troops from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army were also sent to the town./DGB, WDJ