SunStar: Cebu bet arrested for 5-year-old homicide case

A five-year-old homicide case proved handy in politics, haunting a mayoral candidate in Cebu province whom police arrested Saturday afternoon. Police officials who "served" the warrant admitted they got a copy of the arrest warrant from the camp of one of the mayoralty bet's opponents. Sun-Star Cebu reported Monday that police arrested Madridejos town mayoral candidate Alexander dela Fuente over a homicide case in Bacolod City dating back to 2002. Dela Fuente, who is challenging Madridejos Mayor Lety Mancio this May, was arrested in his house on T. Alonzo Street, Poblacion village, Madridejos at 5:20 p.m. Superintendent Erson Digal, head of a sub-task group in Bantayan Island; Superintendent Teofilo Siclot; Chief Inspector Julian Entoma; and Inspector Arthur dela Rosa led the arresting officers. Senior Superintendent Carmelo Valmoria, Cebu provincial office director, said they received a copy of the arrest warrant during the peace forum held at the Bantayan Sports Complex last week. Aside from the arrest warrant, Dela Fuente also faces a petition for disqualification from another mayoral aspirant, Salvador "Sally" dela Fuente. Salvador claimed Alexander was merely running so that votes for candidate "Dela Fuente" will not be counted since there are two of them. Valmoria admitted that when they went to Tugas village in Madridejos to investigate the shooting incident last April 17, "somebody from Salvador's camp" handed Siclot a copy of Alexander's arrest warrant. Councilor Emmy Matis, who is running for reelection under Salvador's slate, later confirmed furnishing Siclot a copy of the warrant. She said the warrant was sent to their group. Salvador even told Alexander about the warrant, and Alexander left without signing the covenant. The warrant, though, was not served last week as Salvador's copy was not clear. When Siclot arrived, Matis gave him the original copy. Valmoria said they will notify their Bacolod City counterparts, and it is up to them to pick Alexander up and present him to the issuing court. Regional Trial Court Branch 42 Judge Fernando Elumba issued the warrant for the March 30, 2002 homicide case, and set bail at P40,000. Salvador, for his part, said Alexander's arrest should not be blamed on politics. He said that because he joined politics, Alexander's whereabouts was traced, leading to his arrest. - GMANews.TV