Cagayan mayor facing near-slay, gun raps posts bail

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A regional trial court (RTC) judge ordered the arrest of a Cagayan town mayor over charges of multiple attempted murder and gun ban violation filed against him by his mayoral rival in last year’s midterm polls. 

Mayor Darwin Tobias of Santa Ana town and his co-accused, Benjamin Garferio Jr., though managed to post P120,000 bail each for their temporary liberty after Aparri RTC Judge Oscar Zaldivar issued the arrest warrant last Monday.

Tobias and his co-accused also posted an additional P12,000 bail each for the gun ban violation under the Omnibus Election Code, said Chief Inspector Darwin Urdani, Santa Ana police chief.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the brother of his mayoral rival, former Cagayan board member Aphonse Jean Ponce, following the May elections last year.

The complainant, Louise Philippe Ponce, identified Tobias as one of those who fired at their campaign headquarters in Santa Cruz village at dawn on election day. 

Tobias denied the charges, claiming that it was his convoy that was fired at by the Ponces’ camp while it was passing by their campaign headquarters.