ILIGAN CITY EXEC AND 17 OTHERS JOHN DOES FACE MULTIPLE MURDER WITH MULTIPLE FRUSTRATED MURDER SUIT FOR DECEMBER LAST YEAR REP. VARF BELMONTE’S AMBUSH

By Tito Natividad Fiel

Rep.  Vicente Belmonte & Mayor Celso Regencia

ILIGAN CITY – The National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 10 have filed Multiple Murder with Multiple Frustrated Murder suit at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Prosecutor's Office against Mayor of Iligan City Celso Regencia and seventeen others John Does, a copy of which showed. 

The case stemmed up from the result of the combined efforts of Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Bureau of Investigation with the “Special Task Force for Belmonte” led by the Northern Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

The three security forces were responding to the ambush incident on December 11 2014 that resulting to death of three and injured other three including the incumbent Iligan Lone District Representative Vicente “Varf” Belmonte

“Representative Vicente “Varf” Belmonte was the main target of the assassination by the alleged perpetrators and it recommends the institution and filing for the said case”, charge said. 

Police Senior Superintendent Alexander C. Tagum, Northern Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit Chief and NBI Region 10 Director Atty. Ricardo A. Dias penned the recommendation for filing of the case which approved by Police Senior Superintendent Aurelio C. Trampe,  PNP Region 10 Deputy Director for operations and Task Force Belmonte  Supervisor. 

There are seventeen complainants with some reserved led by Rep. Vicente Belmonte, the charge sheet copy received by the Tingog Malindang showed. 

The complaint has described one of the suspects Amador B. Baller as avid supporter of Mayor Regencia and allegedly supplied the baby armalite used by the alleged attacker Dominador S. Tumala in the ambush.

Mr. Tumala was described in the complaint as former member of the New People’s Army with a code name “Kumander Paras” and a resident of Poblacion Alto, Sergio Osmeňa, Zamboanga Del Norte.

Rogelio Pitos Sr., the other suspect described by the complaint as alias “Kim”, a former member of the New People’s Army Rebel and avid friend of alleged mastermind of the incident Mayor Regencia, a resident of Bliss, Culo, Molave Zamboanga del Sur, whose son Rogelio Pitos Jr., was the owner/vendee of the Green Revo, a gate away vehicle after the ambush.

Romeo Suganub alias Loloy, an alleged illegal numbers games “swetres” operator/financier claimed to be an avid friend of the prime suspect, a resident of  Jimenez, Misamis Occidental who was constantly seen with the Mayor before the incident and a Mayor’s wife relative allegedly supplied the armalite riffle for the ambush, complaint showed. 

The complaint also named Peejay Capangpangan as suspect which a former police officer assigned here and served as the “close in” bodyguard/security detailed to Mayor Celso Regencia, and is now fugitive with an outstanding warrant of arrest for murder of Nanding Sulijon, a hard hitting radio commentator that criticized the Mayor.

The other suspects are only described by their aliases and the full identity is still under further verification, the case filed copy said. 

Rep. Belmonte commented Thursday Morning that he was glad where the authority quickly concluded their investigation and finally filed the case to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

“I still believe our judicial system that justice would be served to me and those killed during the ambush where their family still grieving because of the incident”, Rep. Belmonteg grieved

He strongly believed that he was the prime target of the ambush because earlier he declared to run for Mayor by 2016 against the incumbent Mayor Regencia, considering it is the Representative’s last term of office and he claimed that the incident was politically motivated. 

When sought for reaction of the case Thursday afternoon, Mayor Regencia declined to face for interview instead his Administrator Melchor Alquizola has extended time for comment.

Alquizola said that the business is usual in the city hall and they are waiting the official subpoena that would be served saying that Mayor Regencia’s camp was glad that the case has been lodged to the proper forum for them to answer it officially, and they would not be put into trial by publicity.

Alquizola claimed that the incident was orchestrated by the Mayor’s opposition and put them into trial by publicity. 

“The Mayor’s best defense is his innocence in addition to the lawyers that we would commission soon in defending the case once we received the official communication in relation this and we still believe the judicial processes and the truth will prevail”, Alquizola stressed. 

Mayor Regencial of Iligan welcome VP Jejomar Binay

In 2013 election, Mayor Regencia suddenly won for the post against the last term Vice Mayor here Henry Dy under Liberal Party with more than 3,000 margins of votes.  

Less than a month before the violence happened,  Vice President of the Philippines Jejomar Binay visited Iligan where Mayor Regencia and few councilors welcomed it and joined in public exposure.