Negros Occ town VM, husband ordered arrested

BACOLOD CITY --- The Regional Trial Court in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental had issued two warrants of arrest against a vicemayor of Moises Padilla town and her husband for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The respondents are Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo and her husband, Felix Mathias Segundo Feria Yulo III.

The issuance of arrest warrants by RTC Judge Cyclamen Jison-Fernandez for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, stemmed from the alleged recovery of two .45-caliber pistols and two grenades from the two.

The Yulo couple was on board a vehicle that the police intercepted at a checkpoint at Crossing Magallon in Moises Padilla on December 19, last year.

Karol Joseph Chiu, counsel of the Yulo couple, insisted that his clients are innocent of the accusations against them, even describing these as trumped-up charges.

Chiu said the issuance of arrest warrants does not mean that his clients are guilty of charges, contending that trial in court has not been started yet.

The lawyer added that they have a pending petition for review of the cases against them before the Department of Justice. He said his clients can still file a motion for bail before the La Carlota RTC.

Senior Inspector Edfel Balibadlan, chief of the Moises Padilla Police, yesterday said that upon being informed of the arrest warrants against the Yulo couple, they went to their house to serve it.

But Balibadlan said in a television interview that the Yulo couple was nowhere to be found.

After 10 days that the warrant will not be served, Balibadlan said an alias warrant will be issued by the court. —