Tuesday, May 08, 2007 Fake peso bills circulating in Escalante City: mayor By Antonieta B. Lopez
ESCALANTE Mayor Santiago Barcelona, on Monday claimed that fake P500 and P1,000 bills worth P3 million are circulating in his town.
Barcelona said they have information regarding the printing of the fake bills, which are intended to buy votes of residents from the hinterland towns on Election Day.
He points to the camp of congressional candidate Julio Ledesma IV and mayoralty candidate Melecio Yap Jr. who, he said, has the intention to allegedly buy off votes. I cannot think of another group, he added.
Meanwhile, a town councilman, whom Ledesma has accused of harassing his group on a campaign sortie in Binaguiohan town last week surfaced on Monday to deny the accusation saying that it was the team of the congressional candidate who are armed.
Cris Batan, coordinator of the Bantay Escalante Movement for Peace and Development, claimed that he was the one who was harassed by the gun-toting men of Ledesma when he dropped by the area.
He said there were more than 100 men of Ledesma who are ready to draw their firearms. If I was armed, I would not hesitate to defend myself because there were just too many of them, he added.
He also said that he tried to ask assistance from the Army detachment in the area but got no response.
Batan, along with the other witnesses, were accompanied by Barcelona at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City, Monday.
Barcelona said he couldn't understand why Ledesma is singling him out considering that he is not running against him.
The threee-termed mayor is running for the vice-mayoralty post while Ledesma is seeking the congressional seat in the First District.
I am saddened because Jules is a friend, Barcelona said, adding that from the start of the campaign he has tolerated the kind of campaign Ledesma has employed in the area.
I have never accused him of anything because I wanted to bring the campaign to a higher level, the mayor said.
However, the former congressman has hurled accusations, which besmirched the good name of my family, which we have worked hard to achieve, he added.
Barcelona said Escalante is very vital for Ledesmas congressional bid because it can make or break his political plan.
Ledesma is running against incumbent Representative, Tranquilino Carmona, whom Barcelona is supporting.
