By Eva Visperas
CABUGAO, Ilocos Sur --
Fifteen people accused of illegally taking over a government property here
surrendered to authorities last week.
The 15, who
were charged along with former Cabugao Mayor Josh Edward Cobangbang,
surrendered to the Ilocos regional police based in San Fernando, La Union.
The accused
were charged with serious illegal detention and grave coercion in 2017,
according to Ilocos regional police director Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
Mayor Eduardo
Cobangbang helped arrange the surrender, although his former mayor-son was not
among those who surrendered.
Azurin said
the younger Cobangbang went into hiding before the May 2019 elections and might
surrender in the coming days.
The accused
decided to give themselves up after authorities launched a manhunt in
compliance with an arrest warrant issued against them in October 2019.
The
Department of Justice said the respondents, on orders of the former mayor,
detained the operator and several employees of the Cabugao Resort.
Complainant
and resort operator Virginia Nicole Savellano-Ong said that she, her
four-year-old daughter and several resort employees were detained in the
property that was ordered padlocked by the municipal government.11
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