Maguindanao del Sur mayor, wife arrested over vice mayor’s ambush slay

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur Mayor Reynalbert Insular and his wife Janet face charges of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Authorities arrested a town mayor and his wife on Tuesday, May 20, after warrants were issued in connection with a 2024 ambush that killed a vice mayor and wounded his wife and child in Maguindanao del Sur.

Police said the mayor and his wife were arrested in Making, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte. However, the couple, South Upi Mayor Reynalbert Insular and his wife Janet, said they turned themselves in to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Bangsamoro region, following the release of arrest warrants by the Regional Trial Court Branch 27 in Cotabato City.

Insular, who was elected vice mayor in the May 12 elections, and Janet, who lost her mayoral bid, face charges of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder in connection with the August 2, 2024 ambush of Vice Mayor Roldan Benito in Barangay Pandan, South Upi.

Benito and his aide were killed in the attack, while his wife and one of their children were hurt. 

The victims were ambushed while aboard a pick-up truck shortly before 5 pm. The vice mayor and his aide died at a hospital.

Incidentally, Benito’s elder sister won the South Upi mayoral race two Mondays ago, defeating Janet.

Bail was set at P200,000 each for the frustrated murder charge and P120,000 for attempted murder. No bail was recommended for the two counts of murder. 

The Insular couple is currently being held at a CIDG custodial facility in Cotabato City. – Rappler.com