DAGUPAN CITY -- Political tension here rise following the exchanges of election protests between bets few days before the most anticipated May 10 elections.
Councilor bet Bryan Lim, former councilor Nick Aquino and two others filed Thursday afternoon several complaints against City Administrator Alvin Fernandez and several John Does before the Prosecutor's Office here.
These are for violation of the Omnibus Election Code specifically on election gun ban, use of government vehicle, and election violence.
"In addition, we also filed a violation of the Revised Penal Code, grave threat and serious physical injury," said Lim.
An hour later, Fernandez's wife Catherine filed a counter-charge against Lim for grave threat and intimidation under Omnibus Election Code.
Relative to the said election-related incident, 11 members of the Dagupan City Police Station were relieved pending investigation for failure to take proper action on a complaint filed in their station.
Last Sunday afternoon, Bryan, Aquino and other supporters of the Lim team filed a complaint at the police station against City Administrator Fernandez and several unidentified men for allegedly gun toting and physically harming them.
Accordingly, the incident happened at a village in Bolosan.
He said
The young Lim said he and his companions went to the area to check on the report that their campaign barker was allegedly being harassed by the group of Fernandez.
The driver said he was accosted as he was suspected to be spying against the campaigners of re-electionist Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr.
Lim furthered Fernandez was with unidentified men whose parts of their faces were covered with ski masks (bonnet) or handkerchiefs.
Fernandez allegedly challenged him to a fight.
Bryan said he told the former that they are not there for a fight and that they are unarmed.
Lim said Fernandez ordered the unidentified men to hurt them.
The gun-totting suspects allegedly made them lie down, hitting his stomach with the nozzle of a long firearm.
Aquino and the others were hit several times with the butt of a firearm, kicking them despite being at the ground already.
Lim's group claimed that they were policemen who arrived at the place but did not do anything against the unidentified armed men. Several minutes later, they went to the police station to make a blotter-report.
She said
Catherine, on the other hand, said that unidentified armed men chased them while she and some women-companions were making house-to-house campaign for Mayor Al Fernandez.
Her husband was there as she called him up and asked for help. But her husband said that he was the village of Lucao when the incident happened.
At the press conference held Sunday evening at their family's hotel, Catherine admitted that she did not see Bryan among the unidentified suspects chasing them.
Fernandez claimed that when he arrived at the area, Bryan approached him and said "pag-usapan na lang natin ito."
At a press conference several days ago, former mayor Lim condemned some members of the local police for their inaction that tension-filled moment. At the same time, he called for the relief of City Police Chief Mariano Luis Verzosa for command responsibility.
He has sent letters of appeal to Comelec Commissioner Jose Melo and to PNP Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa.
The Fernandez camp meanwhile condemned what they said as violence and intimidation against women.
Thursday morning, residents of Dagupan woke up to tarpaulins strategically posted around the city condemning the Bolosan incident and the alleged maltreatment of women.
The relieved policemen are Alfredo Dacanay, Esteban Martinez, Adrian Cepiroto Jr., Edwin Ferreria, Michael Angelo Nicolas, Edgar Salgado, Alejandro dela Cruz, Nasky Lomibao, Erickson Peralta and Clifford Pagadoan.
On Friday afternoon, fourth district Congressman Jose de Venecia Jr. said he forgives Bryan Lim, adding that said incident should be forgotten and everybody should move forward.