Court issues hold order on ex-Ecija mayor

GAPAN CITY, Philippines  – A Manila regional trial court (RTC) has ordered the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to issue a hold departure order (HDO) against the former mayor of this city and 18 others in connection with a murder case filed against them.

Manila RTC Branch 8 Judge Felixberto Olalia Jr. ordered former mayor Ernesto Natividad, his brother Romeo, Ricardo Peralta, Rommel Baying, Jenny Canlas, Jonathan Cartujano, Dalia Cruz, Romeo Daches, Jovert Dumlao, Frangilico Gerona, Randy Gerona, Elly Macariola,Dennis Matias, Crisanto Mateo, Sienna Quiambao, Gerardo Peratel, Lloyd Perez, Randy Puno and Lorenzo Rueda placed under HDO.

The court issued a warrant for the arrest of Natividad and 18 others for the killing of Ericson and Ebertson Pascual at the Gapan cockpit arena in 2006. The Pascuals are bitter political rivals of the Natividad family.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered the filing of murder charges against the Natividad brothers and Peralta, reversing a 2009 ruling of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez that dropped the case against the three.

The Department of Justice initially ordered the filing of murder charges against the suspects in 2009. Gutierrez affirmed the DOJ ruling but excluded the Natividads and Peralta.

Carpio-Morales said the DOJ ruling should have been affirmed outright because the three filed their motions for reconsideration too late, rendering as final and executory the 2009 Ombudsman ruling.