Tuesday, October 10, 2007 ‘Drunk’ resident shoves, curses bry. chief
A DRUNK man allegedly assaulted and badmouthed Tinago Barangay Captain Joel Garganera and prevented laborers from working on a barangay-initiated drainage project in the area last Monday afternoon.
The incident happened in Sitio Putat when Garganera responded to a call for assistance about a drunk man who was holding a shovel and trying to stop the drainage project.
The workers reportedly scampered to safety because the man, later identified as Mario Suson, kept on thrusting the shovel at anybody who came his way.
When Garganera arrived and tried to talk with Suson, the latter badmouthed and shoved the barangay official away.
Garganera, however, managed to arrest Suson and bring him to the police station for disobedience and direct assault to a person in authority.
Although the incident was recorded in the police blotter, Garganera decided not to pursue charges against Suson after the latter apologized to the barangay official.
Suson’s letter of apology, where he admitted badmouthing and assaulting Garganera, was also attached to the police blotter.
In an interview, Garganera said he just tried to pacify the evidently drunk Suson so he would stop harassing the construction workers.
He said that men working on a drainage project approached him when he passed by to report a drunk man who scolded and stopped them in their work.
Garganera said he responded and tried to have Suson return home.
“I did not know at first who the workers were referring to. When I saw that it was Suson, I tried telling him to just go home. But he did not listen and instead harassed us,” Garganera said in Cebuano.
Suson allegedly shoved him away repeatedly that he was forced to deflect his arm, causing him to stumble to the ground.
Garganera said he had Suson detained for safekeeping; he later yielded to the plea of Suson’s wife and had him brought home.
Suson’s brothers also came to him and asked for his forgiveness.
Garganera said he opted not to press charges in consideration that Suson is scheduled to leave to work abroad by the end of the month.
He had the incident recorded at the Waterfront Police Office, however, and had Suson promise not to commit the same offense. (JST/RHM
