CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug. 11 (PNA) –- The trial court in Northern Mindanao on Tuesday issued a warrant of arrest against a suspended city mayor in connection with the attempted killing of a congressman last year.
Suspended City Mayor Celso Regencia of Iligan City was not around when the Iligan police served the warrant of arrest Tuesday afternoon. Regencia’s wife received the warrant.
Regencia is facing three counts of murder as a suspect in the ambush slay-try of Rep. Barf Belmonte of Iligan City’s lone congressional district.
Unidentified armed men waylaid Belmonte’s convoy on their way to Iligan City shortly after arriving from Manila at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.
Belmonte, who sustained minor bullet wounds, survived the ambush, but three of his close-in bodyguards died – one on the spot and the two others in the hospital.
The police said that the acceptance of the warrant of arrest by the wife of Regencia already served the purpose. The charges require no bail.
Supporters of Regencia assailed the murder charges, saying there was no direct evidence that would link the mayor to Belmonte’s attempted killing.
Regencia is currently serving a six-month suspension on administrative charges filed by the political opposition of the City Council in Iligan City. (PNA)