NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A regional court has dismissed murder charges against a former mayor, an incumbent vice mayor, and a dozen others accused in the killing of a councilor in Negros Occidental nearly six years ago.
Judge Ma. Anna Priscila Pareja of the Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental acquitted all 14 defendants on Friday, February 28 after their accuser withdrew from the case.
The accused, including municipal and barangay officials from two towns in central Negros Occidental, had maintained their innocence since the case was filed.
The charges stemmed from the March 30, 2019 ambush and killing of councilor Jolomar Hilario in Barangay Inolingan, Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental. Authorities blamed members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), alleging they conspired with the accused.
Cleared were former Isabela mayor Joselito Malabor and Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Adrian Villaflor.
Those from Isabela who were cleared were the following:
- Barangay chairman Armando Cordero
- former Sibucawan barangay chair Amy Locsin
- Roel Sarillo
- Richard Sarillo
- Jason Abria
- Raymond Gabitanan
- Joemar Pablo
From Moises Padilla, the others who were cleared were the following:
- Councilor Vincent Bryan Garcia
- former councilor Jimmie Don Plaza
- former councilor Jose Morito Flores
- former Quintin Remo barangay chair Feliza Villaflor
- Jonathan Villaflor
The case was filed in La Carlota City in Negros Occidental, but was subsequently transferred to another court in Negros Oriental.
Hilario’s son, Leo Francis, had filed the charges with the help of lawyers Yvonne Gulmatico-Cioco and Ciro de la Cruz.
However, neither Hilario’s family nor their lawyers attended hearings on September 9, 2024, and February 11 and 26, prompting Judge Pareja to direct the prosecution to contact the complainants for the February 28 hearing.
A day before the hearing, Leo Francis and his mother, Misel – a former president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Moises Padilla Chapter – told prosecutors they no longer wished to pursue the case.
On February 28, Pareja dismissed the charges, ordered the release of bail bonds, and freed detained civilians from the Negros Occidental Provincial Jail in Bago City. She also directed the complainants to reimburse the accused for legal expenses within 30 days or face contempt.
Malabor told Rappler on Sunday, March 2 he had always been confident of acquittal.
“The case against us was just a product of political envy,” he said. “We really don’t know Hilario.”
“How could I kill Hilario since I don’t know him? He’s not even a resident of Isabela.”
Villaflor added, “I will be walking now as a happy, free man.”
For his part, Villaflor, now a mayoral aspirant running for mayor in Moises Padilla, said he was relieved. “At last, God heard us,” he said. – Rappler.com