ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – A Quezon City court has ordered the warden of the Iligan City jail to immediately transfer Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia to a detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City.
Iligan City Jail warden Chief Inspector Omar Jalagat would be cited in contempt if he fails to transfer Regencia by Aug. 15, Judge Ferdinand Baylon of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 77 said yesterday.
Baylon said Regencia should be able to attend the hearings on his petition for bail on Aug. 17, 24 and 31.
The Misamis Oriental RTC Branch 44 in Initao town has turned over the jurisdiction of Regencia’s case to the Quezon City court, but Jalagat asked for a postponement.
Jalagat said the Iligan City jail does not have enough personnel and logistics to escort Regencia to attend the hearings.
Regencia is being held at the Iligan City jail after he was charged with multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder for the ambush on the convoy of Iligan Rep. Vicente Belmonte in 2014. Three of Belmonte’s security escorts were killed and five others were wounded in the attack.