Monday, October 08, 2007 Peña: Sammy Mondia left for Thailand June 15 By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
PULUPANDAN Mayor Magdaleno "Magsy" Peña Friday said it's true that his former political rival, Samson "Sammy" Mondia, left for Thailand on June 15 this year.
"I have proof from the Bureau of Immigration that Sammy went to Thailand on June 15," Peña said. But he's not sure yet if Mondia has already returned home.
Mondia, along with his brother, former mayor Luis Mondia, two nephews, among 40 others, have been charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Bacolod with murder for two counts and frustrated murder for four counts for the Peña ambush in Ubay, Pulupandan on May 30, killing two of Peña's close-in bodyguards -- Ronnie Boy Gegavine and Jose Morel Merced.
Peña and his three other companions including his nephew, Pulupandan Councilor Gerany Suatengco, were also wounded during the said incident.
Along with about 10 witnesses, Peña, Suatengco, and the widowers of Gegavine and Merced, acted as complainants in the case against the Mondias, among others.
The complaints were filed before the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor's Office Monday.
Peña is now expecting that the Provincial Prosecutor's Office can find probable cause to file the charges in court so the warrants of arrest could be released against the suspects as soon as possible.
But aside from these more than 40 people tagged suspects, the NBI said 10 others will also be charged including Fr. Frank Fernandez, head of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros island.
Evidences against these additional suspects are now being compiled so to vouch the filing of charges against them, the NBI said in a statement.
"I am looking forward for the immediate arrest of the Mondias soon. I want to see them rot inside jail," Peña said.
The Pulupandan mayor said as soon as the warrants of arrest will be out against the suspects, "I am sure that they could no longer escape because the crimes they committed against me and my companions are non-bailable."
He said Mondia's trip to Thailand could be a way to escape from being arrested soon.
Sun.Star-Bacolod tried by failed to contact any member of the Mondia family in their house in Bacolod Friday night.
