Thursday, May 17, 2007 Dump trucks used to block entry to San Fernando hall
OFFICIALS had to park dump trucks in front of the town hall in San Fernando, Cebu yesterday to control the surge of people who wanted to get in to view the counting of votes.
The parking of the trucks “was only a precautionary measure to tone down the people,” said Supt. Louie Oppus, sub-district supervisor for Task Force Hope District 1.
The town was described to be peaceful. Rumors, however, went around that a candidate for town mayor blew her top after seeing results of the vote count.
Race for mayor
Reports said that United Opposition candidate Renee Canoy, wife of incumbent Mayor Antonio Canoy, got emotional after seeing that she was losing to Alayon’s Lakambini Reluya in the mayoralty race.
Reports said this was the reason why Canoy requested for dump trucks to cover the entrance to the town hall.
Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria sent Oppus to the town at 2 p.m. yesterday after getting reports of an upsurge in people who wanted to get in.
Generally peaceful
Oppus said he found the town generally peaceful, except that several unauthorized people gathered at the entrance and wanted to get into the canvassing area.
“The dump trucks helped in preventing them from getting in. They helped in securing the building,” he said.
SPO1 Joel Nebreja of the San Fernando Police Station, who had been on duty since 9 a.m. yesterday, told Sun.Star Cebu there were no election-related alarms in the town. (NRC)
