Thursday, April 26, 2007 ‘Stop violence talk’ By Jeanette P. Malinao Sun.Star Staff Reporter With Nancy R. Cudis
WITH at least three towns asking to be placed under Comelec control during the May polls, Bogo Mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III called on all candidates in the fourth district to stop making politically motivated accusations that will only put their place in a bad light.
Martinez, in a Sun.Star Cebu interview, said constant trading of accusations is not good for the development and progress of the fourth district because it projects a bad image for their place.
“Life goes on as usual here. Drama-drama lang man ni. Murag sobra ra sad ka drama uy. As much as possible, I advise people concerned to stop such kind of stories,” said Martinez, who is running for the fourth district congressional seat.
Just yesterday, Daan-bantayan Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot said she is willing to “cut off the heads” of her opponent’s armed goons if they refuse to get out of her town.
She said this after the arrest of an armed person Tuesday night during a rally in Barangay Tapilon in Daanbantayan, which is in the fourth district.
Jaime Labawan, who hails from Davao, said they were hired for a job and were surprised to find themselves in the house of a candidate for councilor in Daanbantayan.
Hired goons?
They were given guns and instructed to accompany the rallies of the camp of Loot’s rival, mayoral candidate Augusto “Itok” Corro.
Labawan said they were forced to accept the guns and do what they were asked to do because they don’t have money to go back to their homes.
Martinez said this may just be a part of propaganda. Instead of calling for Comelec control in the district, he reiterated their family’s request for the religious sector and civic groups to be in their area during the elections.
Martinez’s father is running for Bogo mayor, while his mother, Rep. Clavel Asas-Martinez, is challenging Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. in the May 14 polls.
Martinez also called on members of media to go beyond reporting accusations from different candidates by visiting the areas in his district.
He said he has been around the nine municipalities for his congressional campaign and noted that all areas are peaceful except for the talks.
The recent shooting in a beach resort in Sta. Fe, he believes, is isolated and not related to the elections.
Guards
Another candidate in Bantayan Island asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 7 to be provided with security.
In her letter to Comelec Regional Director Rene Buac, Bantayan Mayor Geralyn Escario-Cañares expressed uneasiness and agitation because the past days suspicious-looking persons trailed her and her supporters during their campaign in the different barangays.
She also said other candidates and her supporters have been receiving anonymous threats.
Cañares, whose letter was forwarded to Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria, “requested at least two security guards to secure her during the election period, considering the island of Bantayan has been identified as an election hotspot.”
Cañares is seeking reelection.
While Cañares’ letter was signed, “for immediate action and letter reply,” Valmoria said earlier that “whenever a candidate asks for security from us, we can give that security.”
Statements
Valmoria created a separate team that was dispatched to Daanbantayan and another team to respond immediately to trouble alarms and crimes, regardless of whether they are election-related or not.
Martinez also admitted that Daanbantayan is a town that must be closely watched. But he said this is not so much because of violent incidents but because of “threatening statements” from Mayor Loot.
In a radio dyLA interview yesterday, Loot said she is ready to do anything to protect her town.
“Ug dili mulayas tanan nilang goons, ug mahimo pa lang akong ipadakop buhi o patay. Ikaduha, akong paputlag liog ug iitsa nakos atubangan ni Itok,” Loot said.
When asked whether she is serious, Loot said she will do exactly this if the government agencies like the Commission on Elections and the Philippine National Police refuse to act on her request.
Beheading
Loot added that she could not just sit and watch outsiders rule in her town and sow fear among her constituents.
“Angay lang ni sila ipanglubong ug putlas liog diris among yutang natawhan,” she added.
Corro denied Loot’s accusations, saying that it is Loot’s supporters who are members of the barangay intelligence network who are bringing guns.
Martinez said he is not convinced that the incidents in the district are reason enough to put the areas under Comelec control, adding that Bogo and the rest of the areas do not have a history of election violence.
The lady-mayors of Madridejos, Medellin and Daanbantayan had asked the Comelec to put the town under the poll body’s control to prevent violence but Martinez said they are saying this only because they are losing.
Considering that Loot’s husband is a high-ranking policeman, Martinez added that authorities should find a “win-win” solution for Daanbantayan other than a declaration of Comelec control, which necessarily means putting the local police in power.
