QUARRYING operations in a barangay in Consolacion led to an argument between Mayor Avelino Gungob and the barangay captin of Panoypoy.

Both Gungob and Barangay Captain Dennis Balaba filed separate reports at the Consolacion Police Station after they had an argument at a quarry site in Barangay Panoypoy Wednesday afternoon.

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Balaba had wanted Gungob to stop the quarrying, after they were reportedly advised by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Gungob reportedly told Balaba to have them visit his office so they could discuss this but Balaba refused.

Balaba claimed Gungob almost punched him, if not for the intervention of a member of the Consolacion Traffic Commission.

In his report to the Consolacion Police Station, Balaba claimed Gungob challenged him to a fistfight after he declined to have the DENR visit the mayor’s office.

But Antonio Gutierrez of the Contracom stopped him.

“Wala ka’y respetar nako. Mayor ko. Wala ka’y batasan (You have no respect for me. I’m the mayor. You have no manners),” Gungob allegedly shouted at him.

Respect

But Balaba said this was not the case.

“Dako kaayo ko og respetar nimo, mayor. Ikaw lang wala’y respetar nako sa among barangay,” Balaba said.

This sparked an argument until the mayor threatened to sue him.

“Magmahay ra ka. Gabaan ka nako,” Gungob allegedly said.

Balaba reported the incident at 8 a.m. Thursday.

An hour later, Gungob also appeared before the police station to lodge his complaint.

Gungob, for his part, said he went to Panoypoy to monitor the quarrying project.

He said that after 20 minutes, Balaba arrived and told him to stop the quarrying project.

Discussion

When Gungob asked him to go to his office so they could have a formal discussion, Balaba reportedly kept talking and would not listen to him. This was when he threatened to sue Balaba.

The police, for their part, said they will remain neutral regarding this matter.

Supt. Romeo Perigo said they have not been to the area in question and that the appropriate agency to handle this was the DENR, specifically the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

“We will just record all the incidents as alleged and wait for the parties to file a complaint,” Perigo told reporters.

He said though that he did not see any signs of grave threats, only a misunderstanding that turned into a verbal argument between the two.