South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur — May 20, 2025
Authorities arrested incumbent South Upi Mayor and Vice Mayor-elect Reynalbert Insular and his wife, Janet Insular, on Tuesday, May 20, in Barangay Making, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte. The couple is facing multiple charges in connection with the August 2024 killing of South Upi Vice Mayor Roldan Benito, a respected leader of the Teduray Indigenous People.
The arrest was made by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) by virtue of warrants issued by Judge Kasan Kusain Abdulrakman of the 12th Judicial Region, Branch 27 in Cotabato City. The charges include two counts of murder (non-bailable), one count of frustrated murder (₱200,000 bail), and one count of attempted murder (₱120,000 bail).
The fatal ambush occurred on August 2, 2024, in Barangay Pandan, South Upi. Benito, while driving his orange Mitsubishi pick-up, was shot by unidentified assailants. His wife, Helen Benito, and their child were also wounded in the attack but survived. Helen later ran for mayor in the 2025 elections and won, defeating Janet Insular, while Reynalbert Insular won as vice mayor.
Benito’s killing shocked the community and drew national attention. As a prominent Teduray leader, he was known for fiercely advocating for the rights of the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIP) in Maguindanao, particularly in South Upi, where many Teduray have long been engaged in the struggle to reclaim their ancestral domain and resist violent land grabbing.
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim mourned Benito’s death, calling it a “cowardly attack” and a blow to peace efforts. “Benito was not only a local official but a leader of the Teduray people,” Ebrahim said. “We are one with our brothers and sisters from the indigenous peoples in mourning the loss of a genuine advocate of human rights and inclusive governance.”
The killing prompted the creation of a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG-Benito) led by Col. Roel Sermese, Maguindanao del Sur police director, involving CIDG, Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), and PNP forensic units. Investigators said motives being explored include personal grudge and land conflict.
Mayor Insular has denied all allegations, claiming he had no motive to kill Benito, whom he described as a close ally. “Our relationship was good before the incident,” he said. He alleged that the charges are politically motivated and vowed to seek due process in court.
As of this writing, Insular remains under CIDG custody while awaiting legal proceedings. The arrest has further heightened tensions in South Upi, where Indigenous Peoples continue to face threats amid ongoing conflicts over ancestral land and political power.
Benito’s death adds to the growing list of Teduray leaders and community members who have been killed in recent years, many of them caught in the crosshairs of violent struggles over land and political control in the region.