ILIGAN CITY (June 20) —- Wanted Pantar, Lanao del Norte, Mayor Jabar Tago surrendered Tuesday morning, June 19, to the court that issued his warrant of arrest for a murder case.
Tago surrendered with his brother Jameloding, who is his co-accuse of the death of former Pantar Mayor Exchan Limbona.
Senior Superintendent Leony Roy Ga, chief of the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO said the Tago brothers are now in the custody of the ICPO, pending the court resolution of their motion to post bail. “Naay order si Judge (Silvestre) Orejana nga i-custody siya sa ICPO pending sa resolution sa ilang motion to fix bail,” Ga said. The ICPO has strengthened their security and provided specific personnel to secure the detainees.
On May 8, the Regional Trial Court Branch 5 of Lanao del Norte has issued a warrant of arrest for Mayor Tago and his brother Jameloding. The arrest order was issued after the court found probable cause against the Tago brothers for killing Limbona in an ambush on December 29, 2016. A source said Tago was positively identified by Limbona’s wife and son, who have survived the ambush with a police escort, as the assassins.
On May 13, a day before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, authorities arrested Jabar in a joint law enforcement operation for possession of loose firearms and violation of election gun ban in the vicinity of Barangays Punod and Sundiga of the said municipality.
The operation was conducted by the operating troops of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, Scout Ranger Battalion, Military Intelligence Battalion and the Philippine National Police. Arrested with him were brothers, Jameloding and Janoding, who have pending arrest warrants for another murder cases. Other arrested personalities were Rehan Gumpal, Abdul Racmam Gumpal, Kiram Ampuan and Nasroding Lao.
Kiram was a subject of the PNP’s Tokhang personality as an alleged drug lord in Metro Manila, according to the army. Col. Robert Dauz, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army, said the operation was conducted in pursuit of of the criminals responsible for the shooting incident in Baloi, Lanao del Norte in May 8 followed by another shooting incident in May 10 at the same barangay where the firearms were recovered.
The operating troops had a brief exchange of fires against two persons who were identified by the military as members of a local terrorist group.
Recovered from the area were 15 assorted high and low-powered firearms, including a locally-made 50 caliber barret, barret sniper rifles, AK-47, M79 grenade launches and ammunitions of M14.
In July last year, the Martial Law Special Action Group raided Jabar’s house in Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City where several guns were confiscated.
Five months ago, Tago was formally sworn in as town mayor after the Commission on Elections declared him the rightful winner of the 2016 local elections.
Tago replaced Pantar Vice Mayor Hadji Rakim Alingan who assumed the position of Limbona. But the Tagos’ were released after Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers and Muslim Concerns Abdullah Mama-o took them to his custody.-Divina M. Suson/NewsLine.ph
