Fugitive ex-Leyte town mayor surrenders

MANILA, Philippines — A former mayor of Carigara, Leyte, who was accused of killing a worker in 2012, surrendered on Wednesday after six years in hiding.

Anlie Apostol was allowed to post bail amounting to P150,000 after the court downgraded the charges filed against her from murder to accessory to murder, her lawyer Leo Giron said.

The Leyte provincial prosecutor’s office had earlier filed murder charges against Apostol as well as Vilma and Alfredo Obaob in connection with the killing of Dennis Mesias.

Apostol’s bodyguard Alexander Tremendal executed an extrajudicial confession that he killed Mesias upon the orders of Apostol.

Apostol and the Obaob denied the allegations, which they described as ”lies and politically motivated.”

The former mayor is the daughter of Leyte second district Rep. Sergio Apostol.