NEW TERM. Vice Mayor Adrian Ian Villaflor of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental reports to the Municipal Council session hall on June 28. 2022 after posting bail for a murder case. Villaflor on Thursday (June 30) starts a second term after winning his reelection bid while in detention during the May 9 elections. (Photo courtesy of Moises Padilla Daily)
BACOLOD CITY – Reelected Vice Mayor Adrian Ian Villaflor of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental has returned to serve his constituents for a second term on Thursday after posting bail for a murder case related to the death of a councilor in 2019.
“I thank God for listening to our prayers. I am so thankful that the court granted our motion to post bail. I believe that the truth will come out and it will be proven that we have not done anything wrong,” Villaflor said over the Provincial Capitol’s Radyo Negrense.
He said that he felt the warm welcome of the people of Moises Padilla when he arrived in the municipality last weekend.
On June 25, Presiding Judge Eric Anthony Dumpilo of Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental issued an order to release Villaflor and three councilors after posting a bail of PHP200,000 each.
Villaflor, who was reelected during the May 9 polls with running-mate Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, was placed in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod District Office together with Councilor Jimmiedon Plaza when they surrendered to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer in September last year after warrants of arrest were issued against them.
The two other accused, Councilors Morito Flores and Vincent Garcia, were detained in the municipal police station.
Unlike Villaflor and Garcia, Plaza and Flores failed in their reelection bids.
The vice mayor said the court allowed them to leave detention when they filed their certificates of candidacy and when they cast their votes.
On March 31, 2019, Councilor Jolomar Hilario was gunned down by alleged members of the New People's Army at his residence.
However, witnesses surfaced implicating the four accused in the death of Hilario. The four, however, said the case was a "political harassment". (PNA)
