Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to hunt down a fugitive Ilocos Sur town mayor who was ordered arrested by a local court for the alleged illegal detention of a beach resort operator and her employees.
Guevarra said he gave the directive himself to the NBI to track down Cabugao Mayor Josh Edward Cabangbang.
“The NBI has tapped teams of agents to arrest Mayor Cobangbang pursuant to the warrant issued by the regional trial court,” the Justice Secretary said.
Cabugao RTC Branch 24 Judge Raphiel Alzate issued the arrest warrant against Cabangbang.
Guevarra said government prosecutors will seek before the RTC the issuance of a hold-departure order against Cabangbang.
“The issuance of an HDO by the RTC is a matter of course upon motion if the trial prosecutors, especially since the warrant of arrest could not be served upon the accused,” he said.
Charges were filed against Cabangbang and his 18 co-accused after the Department of Justice found probable cause to indict them for serious illegal detention and grave coercion.
“After a circumspect evaluation of the facts presented and the claims and defenses and evidences of both parties, we find merit in the petition,” the DoJ resolution signed by Undersecretary Deo Marco dated Jan. 15 said.
Aside from Cabangbang, also indicted are municipal officials and employees Raquel Ancheta, Constacia Quinola, Gio Serna, Cresencio Formoso, Conrado Segui, Rexor Abara, Richard Pula, Renato Roman Sol, Elmer Ramos, Jessar Cruz, Ronillo Santiago, Kevin Somera, Arvin Manauis, Benny Agbayani, Cara Soriano, Humprey Catriz, Gerly Flores, Ednalyn Silario, and Alvin Solis.
The case stemmed from the decision of the local government to shut down the operations of the government-owned Cabugao Beach Resort which was padlocked on Aug. 23, 2017 without any court order while the complainant, resorts operator Virginia Ong, was still inside along with her four-year-old son and several employees.
Ong became an industrial partner in 2015 of Antonio Valera who leased the CBR from the municipality from 2005 up to 2025.
The complainant took over as operator and continued to pay lease after Valera filed a quit claim on Dec. 1, 2016.
However, Cabangbang demanded Ong to vacate CBR as he intends to implement a local ordinance which offered to lease the property to a new investor. (Jeffrey Damicog)