Criminal cases vs Regencia set today

By Nora C. Soriño,
Iligan City Bureau Chief

Iligan City — The cases against embattled Mayor Celso Regencia has been scheduled today.

Regencia’s lead counsel Leo Zaragoza told the Gold Star Daily through a text message that the hearing has been scheduled at 2 pm, Dec. 13.

To note, the last hearing was last Dec. 9, Friday in the sala of Judge Ferdinand Baylon of Branch 77 of the Regional Trial Court, Quezon City. The hearing was on the mayor’s Petition for Bail filed by his lawyers.

Principal witness for the prosecution, Dominador Tumala testified on the hearing and was cross-examined by the defense. Tumala is set to continue testifying (today), Zaragoza said.

To recall, Regencia is being accused of masterminding the ambush of the convoy of then Congressman Vicente Belmonte, Jr. near the Laguindingan airport, Dec. 11, 2014.

Three people were killed in that incident, with several wounded with Belmonte himself surviving the incident unscathed except for some minor wounds from broken windshields of his car. Thus, the cases of murder and multiple frustrated murder vs. the mayor.

Regencia is presently detained at the city jail at Tipanoy. When the warrant against him came out, he disappeared but surfaced a few days before the deadline of the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy for Mayor, October 2015.

His case was first heard at branch 44 of the RTC of Misamis Oriental at Initao town. Each time a hearing is scheduled though, supporters troop to the city jai to prevent his extraction from said facility. The Supreme Court has ordered Regencia’s transfer to a jail facility in Taguig after his case was transferred to said sala at Quezon City. The Order though has yet to be implemented as his supporters continue blocking the jail’s entrance each time there is a scheduled hearing.