DAVAO CITY — The former mayor of Talitay town in the province Maguindanao was killed by the police after he tried to resist arrest on Thursday morning.
Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said Montasser Sabal , former Mayor of Talitay, was arrested for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, but, on their way to Camp Crame national police headquarters in Quezon City, the former mayor allegedly tried to escape and grabbed the gun of the escorting police that resulted in a scuffle.
In a press briefing, Eleazar said Sabal and six alleged cohorts were arrested by the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the National Capital Region (NCR), Philippine Ports Authority (PPO), Batangas Provincial Police Office (PPO), and PNP’s Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) at the Batangas port.
Sabal, a former member of the PNP Special Action Force, was the subject of a warrant of arrest (WOA) for illegal possession of explosives and drugs under Oplan Pagtugis (Pursuit).
Sabal who sustained fatal wounds was rushed to San Juan Medical Center but was declared dead by the attending physician at 6:13 a.m.
It can be recalled, on April 16, 2018, the Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to charge Sabad before the Sandiganbayan for non-disclosure of his properties in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) for four years.
The Ombudsman said Sabal has been found violating Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6713, or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”, and Section 7 of RA No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”, for his alleged untruthful statements in his SALNs from 2011 to 2015.
Ombudsman records showed Sabal failed to disclose his ownership of 13 firearms, four vehicles, including a Hummer, Ford Ranger pick-up truck, Toyota Land Cruiser, a Toyota Hilux; and four business interests located in Datu Odin Sinsuat and Talitay, Maguindanao.
Sabal also allegedly failed to disclose the purchase price of each real property mentioned in his SALNs.-Newsline.ph
