CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte - Police operatives have arrested the incumbent mayor of Gandara town, Samar, last Tuesday, a police report said.
PNP-8 Regional Director, PC Supt. Arnold Revilla who is based here has identified the arrested local executive as Mayor Antonieto T. Cabueños, 57, who was apprehended in front of the Sta. Margarita police station in Barangay Cautod, Sta. Margarita, Samar at mid-afternoon Tuesday.
Revilla disclosed that the police operatives, under the command of PSInsp. Angelo Pueblos arrested Cabueños by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Manuel F. Torrevillas of RTC branch 23, Allen, Samar, for criminal case number A-2564 for violating the Omnibus Election Code.
The backgrounder given by Revilla recalls the earlier arrest of Cabueños last February 2, 2010 at a checkpoint in Lavezares, Northern Samar. Cabueños was with three unauthorized armed escorts identified as PO3 Jonathan Rama, PO3 Edgar Delector and PO2 Perfecto Merilles of the Gandara police station. All three escorts are now under the custody of Police Regional Office 8.
Apparently, Cabueños managed to have himself released after his February 2, 2010 arrest, although a case had already been filed against him.
Revilla claims that the Gandara mayor is alleged to be maintaining the Moloboco partisan armed group which is responsible for the series of politically-motivated killings in Calbayog City and other adjacent municipalities.
He added that the arrested mayor was immediately turned over upon his arrest Tuesday to the Gandara Chief of Police, PI Jovie Espinido, for appropriate procedural documentation.
However, Revilla said Cabueños was able to post bail in the amount of P80,000.00 and was ordered released by Judge Reynaldo Clemens of the RTC branch 31 of Calbayog City also last Tuesday.
The PNP-8 Regional Director recalled that Calbayog City and the Samar town of Gandara had come into prominence due to the series of purported political killings and forced disappearances with Cabueños as one of the suspects. The series of criminal activities has led to the formation of the Zenarosa Commission which is now conducting pertinent investigations in the cities of Calbayog and Catbalogan.
