Three more suspects have been arrested over supposedly participating in the assassination try on Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong last month, the Philippine National Police said Friday.
Those arrested were identified as Palawan Salem Macalbo, 34, a member of Gandawali Group; Nagac Dimatangkil Baratomo, 38; and Amirodin Dimantingkal Mandoc, 29.
This was according to a report sent to the PNP headquarters by the Regional Director of the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The trio were included as suspects in the recent ambush against Adiong last February 17. The governor survived but four of his police security escorts were killed.
Meanwhile, a judge has granted bail to nine policemen accused in the 2021 murder of Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, saying the killing was a homicide and not murder.
It was a ruling described as a slap on the face of Aquino’s family, as it came a day shy of the second anniversary of the mayor’s killing.
In the Adiong case, Macalbo was arrested based on the warrants of arrest for charges of murder and frustrated murder, issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 of the 12th Judicial Region based in Marawi City.
PRO BAR included in its report the confiscated items recovered from the suspects—one Colt M16 rifle with serial number 9061355, one grenade, one Colt M16 magazine loaded with eight pieces of ammunition, and one rifle grenade.
The trio of suspects are now under the custody of Kalilangan Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
Aquino was shot at least 21 times in Barangay Lonoy on March 8 in what was described as an ambush, with his son, Mark, linking the incident to politics.
Police had initially described the incident as a shootout.
The policemen were allowed to bail for P120,000 each, as ordered in a resolution by Calbayog City RTC Branch 31 judge Maricar Lucero.
“It’s so painful. It is insulting and infuriating. For our family, it is a big insult that we are grieving, while the accused are rejoicing,” Mark told TeleRadyo in an interview.
The Aquino family’s legal counsel, lawyer Alma Uy, said the National Bureau of Investigation filed murder raps, which the Department of Justice recommended.
But Judge Lucero said the policemen should face homicide raps, claiming that Aquino fought back against those firing the shots, according to Uy.
“In the ruling, the judge said Mayor Aquino fought back, which mitigated treachery. There is no longer any treachery because he was able to fight back, but it disregarded the fact that Mayor Aquino only fought because his driver was already dead, his security was wounded, and they were shot first,” Uy told Teleradyo.
“The two were already dead and he was the only one left so he shot back out of self-defense in desperation to save himself,” she added.
A PNP Information Office statement earlier said “the group of Mayor Aquino was alleged to have initiated the shootout when his close-in security fired at the unmarked vehicle of the IMEG-PDEU group that was traveling in the same direction along the road.”
The PNP said its personnel involved in the shooting are from theIntegrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, and Provincial DrugEnforcement Unit, who were conducting Red Teaming inspection in the area.
Samar 1st District Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento refuted the police report. He said the police were already waiting for Aquino’s vehicle at Laboyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy, Calbayog City before the shooting incident at 5:30 p.m.
The Aquino camp immediately filed a motion against the decisionallowing the policemen to post bail, as well as a motion for inhibition against Lucero.
“The judge inhibited yesterday, so a different judge would rule on the motion for consideration. The accused cannot post bail yet,” Uy said.