ILIGAN CITY - Fugitive town mayor Jabar Tago of Pantar, Lanao del Norte surrendered Tuesday morning, June 19, to the court that issued his warrant of arrest for murder.
Tago surrendered with his brother Jameloding, who is his co-accused in the death of former Pantar mayor Exchan Limbona, according to Senior Superintendent Leony Roy Ga, chief of the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO).
Ga said the Tago brothers are now in the custody of the ICPO pending the court's 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 (Judge Orejana has an order placing him at the custody of the ICPO)," Ga said.
For now, the ICPO has strengthened their security and provided specific personnel to secure the detainees.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 5 of Lanao del Norte issued warrant of arrest for Mayor Tago and his brother Jameloding on May 8.
The arrest order was issued after the court found probable cause against the Tago brothers for the killing of Limbona in an ambush in December 29, 2016.
A source who requested anonymity said Tago was positively identified by Limbona's wife and son who both survived the ambush.
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 for violating the 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 his brothers Jameloding and Janoding who already had pending arrest warrants for other murder cases.
The other arrested personalities were identified as Rehan Gumpal, Abdul Racmam Gumpal, Kiram Ampuan and Nasroding Lao.
Kiram is in the PNP's Tokhang list as an alleged drug lord in Metro Manila according to the Army.