Fugitive disqualified mayoral bet nabbed in Mountain Province

BAGUIO CITY — A disqualified mayoralty bet who won in the 2022 mayoral race in Paracelis, Mountain Province but went into hiding for his illegal logging conviction, was caught Tuesday in Loc-ong, Poblacion, Bontoc.

Avelino Charonag Amangyen, 63, was earlier convicted and had a standing warrant of arrest for violation of the Forestry Code. 

However, despite his conviction, he managed to run and won in a sizeble 4,000 votes margin against his two opponents, now incumbent Paracelis Mayor Marcos Ayangwa and Anton Liban.

Ayangwa after the 2022 polls protested against the victory of Amangyen arguing he is a subject of an arrest because of commiting a crime. 

On April 19, 2022, the Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) canceled the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of Amangyen based on his failure to declare about his criminal conviction.

The poll body then gave Amangyen a Reclusion Temporal and Perpetual Disqualification from holding public office.

Amangyen subsequently went into hiding. 

The court did not recommend any bail for Amangyen for his temporary liberty.  He was brought to the Bontoc Municipal Police Station awaiting for further instructions from the court.