Zamboanga del Norte mayor, vice mayor freed on bail

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines — The mayor  and vice mayor of Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte and 12 other persons arrested on Thursday for alleged election offenses in the 2016 polls have been freed on bail. 

Mayor Angeles Carloto II, Vice Mayor Generico Jauculan, Victory Gegrimosa, Sally Rejas, Federico Rapal, Bernandita Gulagula, Pablo Buenavides Jr., Marlon Andus, Marlou Buenafe, Richard Halopay, Police Officer 3 Carim Magallion, PO2 Eliaquim Taman as well as PO1s Katherine Benedicto and Jasser Fabillar were released on Friday after posting bail of P75,000 each, according to Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Luis Licup, Zamboanga peninsula police director.

The respondents were arrested on Thursday following a Supreme Court ruling, which upheld their indictment for allegedly harassing Carloto’s political opponent, businessman Alson Chan. 

Chan, who filed the complaint, said the respondents entered his compound on May 4, 2016, triggering a shootout that left a police officer dead. 

Chan said he was arrested and released only after the elections.