Wednesday, April 18, 2007 ‘Citizen’s arrest’ of 2 Lakas supporters hit By Suzette T. Quingco
WHO are they to arrest civilians?
This was the question of lawyer Alex Abastillas, counsel for local Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party in Bacolod City, on the act of four alleged campaigners of Grupo Progreso in arresting two Lakas-Kampi supporters distributing legitimate propaganda materials at downtown area on Tuesday.
Clyde Walter Villarete, 29, of Barangay Mandalagan and his 14-year-old male cousin, were arrested and endorsed to Police Station 1 by Ernesto Tagudeña, 41, of Fuentebella Subdivision, Barangay Taculing; Resty Cawaling, 41, of Mabini, Libertad, Barangay 14; Francisco Hiceta, 49, of Barangay Singcang-Airport and Manuel Lawrence Caraig, 20, of Bakyas, Barangay Mansilingan.
The four, according to Abastillas, were identified as supporters of congressional aspirant Renecito Novero and former Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) president-turned-councilorable Ed Guillem.
Worse, Abastillas claimed that Novero’s and Guillem’s supporters also planted a balisong (fan knife) on Villarete.
Villarete, in an interview with Sun.Star Bacolod last night, denied having a balisong in his possession during the arrest.
He narrated to the police that he neither had a balisong in is possession nor had he brought any propaganda material against Novero.
Villarete claimed a balisong was only “planted” by Hiceta and his three other companions.
He said the materials he brought and distributed were legal.
Police Station 1 Commander Joeresty Coronica, on the other hand, said that he can’t make any conclusion yet on the case as he stressed that both sides have their respective claim on the matter.
But he decided that Villarete should be detained first at Police Station 1 as per adherence to the law.
While his 14-year-old cousin was released an hour after the arrest upon verbal order from the Commission on Election (Comelec).
City Police Director Ronilo Quebrar, meanwhile, vowed to investigate the matter.
