Charges filed vs Bishop, NDF consultant

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Charges have been filed against a bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) in Ozamiz City for alleged possession of explosives and harboring a man wanted by authorities.

Aside from Carlo Morales, charged was Rommel Salinas, an alleged consultant of the National Democratic Front.

No bail was recommended for the release of Morales and Salinas, regional police office spokesperson Superintendent Lemuel Gonda said yesterday.

Morales, his wife Maria Teofilina, Isadome Dalis and Salinas were arrested on Thursday in Ozamiz City by a joint team of police officers and soldiers.

IFI Bishop Maximo Ephram Fajutagana on Friday denounced the arrest and demanded the release of the four.

The police regional office said Salinas has standing arrest warrants for arson, murder, frustrated murder, and robbery.

The warrants were issued by judges in Dinagat Island and Surigao City.

Police said they recovered from Salinas a hand grenade, six mobile phones, battery packs, P80,700 in cash, a map of Misamis Occidental, a pair of rubber boots, a 12-inch bolo, prepaid cards and an NDF identification card.

Morales said Salinas hitched a ride in his vehicle, which was pulled over by law enforcers manning a checkpoint in Barangay Gango.

Based on a police report, Morales is the secretary of the Secom Sendong, the largest unit of the Communist Party of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Regional Party Command.

Morales earlier said it was only Salinas whom the law enforcers were after.

He said the team handcuffed him, his wife and their driver when they refused to leave Salinas. – With Gerry Lee Gorit