Raps vs Negros Occidental town mayor, husband dismissed

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against the mayor of Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental and her husband have been dismissed.

In a 13-page decision issued on Thursday, Bacolod Regional Trial Court Judge Edgar Tupas junked the charges filed against Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo and her husband Felix Mathias Segundo.

The charges were filed after two grenades and two guns were allegedly recovered from the Mitsubishi Strada of the couple, which was pulled over at a police checkpoint on Dec. 19, 2017. Yulo was vice mayor at the time.

The couple claimed the guns and explosives recovered from their vehicle were planted.

In October 2020, the six policemen who manned the checkpoint, where the couple were pulled over, were dismissed from the service for grave misconduct and grave irregularities in the performance of duty.

Yulo said she and her husband are “very happy” with the decision of the court.