Rebel-returnees charged with killing of Bukidnon mayor

Murder charges were filed Tuesday against three people, two of them rebel-returnees, who police linked to the fatal ambush on Impasug-ong, Bukidnon town mayor Mario Okinlay last July 2.

 

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Northern Mindanao head Senior Superintendent Pedro Austria identified the two as brothers Joven and Efren Yanggo.

 

A third suspect was identified as Ryan Daluniag. 

 

The case was filed before the Bukidnon Prosecutors Office in Malaybalay City.

 

But Austria said they cannot establish for now if the brothers have returned to the fold of the communist New People's Army, which last weekend claimed responsibility for the killing.

 

Austria said the two surrendered sometime in January 2012 and are from Impasug-ong town.

 

"We cannot say at this point if they have already returned back (to the NPA) or they acted on their own. We are still gathering evidence," said Austria.

 

Okinlay was gunned down in an ambush last July 2. The NPA claimed it killed him because he was a "counterrevolutionary."

 

Citing reports reaching the police, Austria said the two brothers even benefited from the rebel returnee program where they get P50,000 livelihood assistance, P15,000 immediate assistance and P50,000 for every firearm surrendered.

 

Meanwhile, local police released the pictures of the two brothers. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News