Tuesday, May 15, 2007 More PNP men to 3 poll areas By Jovy S. Taghoy & Mia E. Abellana Sun.Star Staff Reporters With Linette C. Ramos & Joseph Elvir C. Tubilan
AFTER all the jitters in a campaign that saw one mayoral candidate murdered, Cebu survived election day without bloodshed, even in Comelec-controlled Bantayan Island.
“Mingaw kaayo (All was quiet),” said Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr.
But as the counting of votes started late yesterday afternoon, Alarcio ordered all the district commanders under the Task Force Hope (honest, order and peaceful elections) to set up more checkpoints and strengthen police presence around the polling places, particularly in places where there are close fights.
At least 30 additional policemen were deployed in the sixth district, particularly in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu and in the town of Cordova, said Alarcio.
“I have directed (them) to increase police visibility and checkpoints to prevent armed groups from getting close to the polling places, and to focus on areas where the contest is very close. With your prayers, hopefully, the counting until the proclamation of winners will be very, very peaceful,” Alarcio said.
The Provincial Board of Canvassers briefly convened last night, but decided to begin the official count at 1:30 p.m. today at the Capitol Social Hall.
“It was okay,” said Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano, as he assessed the polls in Cebu.
Except for the arrest of at least 35 individuals for violating the liquor ban, election in Cebu City was peaceful and orderly, Cebu City Election Officer for the North District Marchel Sarno,
The poll office in the city also received fewer inquiries and complaints yesterday than the previous election in 2004.
“The election was rather peaceful. There was no report of violence anywhere in the city. And because our election records and voters’ registration records are in order, we received only a few inquiries today,” he told Sun.Star Cebu last night.
In the fourth district in northern Cebu, tension rose on the eve of the elections in Daanbantayan, with supporters of two rival camps accusing each other of harassment and Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot nearly getting attacked with a stool.
The trouble started when Chona de Leon, candidate for councilor under mayoral candidate Augusto “Itok” Corro, complained before the police that Loot’s men were holding an illegal checkpoint in Barangay Tinubdan.
A supporter of Loot, Ryan “Boy” Chiong, 55, was arrested after a firearm was seized from him.
Allegations of harassment circulated throughout Bantayan Island yesterday, as voters trooped to polling places to cast their votes.
Madridejos Mayor Lety Mancio accused a supporter of her opponent of detaining two of her watchers for an hour in Barangay Maalat.
They were later released an hour later after Mancio, her husband Rufino and brother, vice mayoralty candidate Eddy Villacarlos went to the area.
Mancio said she did not want to violate Comelec rules prohibiting candidates from appearing at polling places but said she had no choice but to see that her supporters were safe.
Sta. Fe Mayor Roger Ilustrisimo said that mayoral candidate Domingo Zaspa stopped his supporters from voting.
Also in Bantayan, a 65-year-old widow died of a heart attack when she learned that those who did not support Susan Pacheco would allegedly be ordered out of the property that belongs to Pacheco’s friend.
Lorenza Rabasit died at 6:30 a.m., after after her son received a letter from the Gapud family advising them to vacate the lot they are occupying in 30 days.
The Gapuds reportedly support Pacheco’s candidacy against reelectionist Mayor Geralyn Escario Cañares. There were reports in the area that the Gapuds were applying pressure so that people will vote for her.
Pacheco said, though, that she cannot be blamed for the Gapuds’ decision because it is their right to do what they want with their property.
Also, for the third time, Willy Bacalso, Mancio’s bodyguard and ex-marine, was apprehended in Barangay Bunacan past 7 last night.
Bacalso was earlier arrested for possession of firearms and violation of the Comelec gun ban Thursday last week but he was able to post bail.
Arrested with him last night was his fellow bodyguard Roldan Dacutan, who was arrested with him last week. Both were able to post bail.
Last Sunday night, Bacalso was apprehended with 15 other man by members of the Philippine Army for their “suspicious presence” in the town.
They were released later but Comelec Special Officer Eliseo Labaria ordered them to board a pumpboat to Negros where most of them said they were from.
Mancio said they were all her employees at Mavel and that they were giving her support.
Yesterday they were spotted again and were detained at the Madridejos Police Station.
Mancio’s lawyer Nathaniel Clarus asked police to release them because they committed no violation, but Labaria decided not to release them because their presence spread fear and panic among residents.
“We have more than 300 personnel there (in Bantayan Island). We scared away possibly the armed groups and armed goons. Naging matapang din ang mga tao na marami tayong pulis,” PRO 7 Director Alarcio said.
A shooting also occurred at 4:50 p.m. yesterday in Dumanjug town, but Alarcio said, it was not election related.
The victim suffered a gunshot wound in the foot.
Alarcio is optimistic that with the vigilance of the public and the sustained visibility of the police, the elections period until the declaration of winners will be peaceful and orderly.
As the counting of votes started late yesterday afternoon, PRO 7 Director Alarcio ordered all the district commanders under the Task Force Hope (honest, order and peaceful elections) and chiefs of police in the region to intensify checkpoints and strengthen police visibility around the polling places, especially in areas where it is closely contested.
Apart from the confusion of the voters of their polling precincts, Alarcio also said minor problems like reported presence of armed men and vote-buying also cropped up.
In most precincts in Cebu City, the canvassing of votes started at 3 p.m. and ended shortly before midnight.
The city’s Board of Canvassers convened at the Department of Education Ecotech Center past 6 p.m. but since the election returns were not delivered until 9 p.m., the board decided to hold the canvassing at 1 p.m. today.
At the Pardo Police Station, 35 customers of Princecourt KTV in Barangay Kinasang-an Pardo were arrested around 12:45 a.m. last Sunday for violating the liquor ban.
SPO4 Joseph Racaza said they will file today a case for violation of Comelec Resolution 7774 against those who were detained.
The detainees are residents of Talisay City and Pinamungajan town.
