TWO Moises Padilla town reelectionist councilors, Vincent Garcia and Morito Flores, filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) in handcuffs Tuesday morning, October 5.

The two incumbent officials, who were implicated in the murder of councilor Jolomar Hilario two years ago, trooped from the police station where they are detained to the town's Commission on Elections (Comelec) office to file their COCs.

The two surrendered to the local police last month and were detained since then.

Two of their co-accused, Jonathan Villaflor and wife, Fely, who is the barangay captain of Quintin Remo, joined them.

Also joining them in the march after a mass at the police station were Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo and other Municipal Council aspirants.

Garcia's runningmate, Vice Mayor Ian Villafor, was escorted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) together with reelectionist Councilor Jimmiedon Plaza.

Villafor and Plaza, who were also implicated in the crime and earlier surrendered to the NBI, also filed their COCs Tuesday, October 5.

All the accused maintained their innocence, labeling the charge as politically motivated and recycled.

The mayor who, was also included in the charges, was cleared after it was established that she was in prison when the incident happened. (EPN/With reports from PR)