Sunday, November 04, 2007 Ronda VM washes hands of shooting
HE was expecting to get blamed for the shooting of Mayor Esteban Sia’s bodyguards, one of whom was killed last Thursday night.
But Ronda Vice Mayor Mariano Blanco III told Sun.Star Cebu he had no involvement in the attack in Barangay Poblacion, Ronda town in southwestern Cebu.
“If anything happens, I get blamed. That is not good,” Blanco said.
Although he did not name names, Sia believes that the shooting of Orlando Ugario and Lito Berdijo was politically motivated. Ugario, 52, died at the scene.
Berdijo was taken to a private hospital in Cebu City and provided with police security.
Blanco said he does not know anything about the shooting. He was in Ronda past 1 p.m. to visit his father’s grave, but by 5 p.m. he was on his way to Cebu City.
He later received a text message from his brother about the shooting.
Blanco also said he stayed away from the limelight to focus on being a legislator.
Blanco was Ronda mayor for nine years. After his third term ended, he ran for vice mayor during the May 14 elections while his mother Victoria ran for the top municipal post. But Sia won.
“They (Sia) should think about what they have been doing in Ronda,” he said.
When asked what he meant by this, the vice mayor suggested asking Ronda’s residents.
Sia said earlier that he has been receiving threats even before he was proclaimed the mayor.
But this should not be enough reason to say that politics is behind the attack, Blanco said.
“Threats? I should be the one who feels threatened because they have firearms. For nine years I was the mayor of Ronda, I had no bodyguard because my main goal was to deliver basic services,” he said.
This may change, though, as the vice mayor is thinking of getting bodyguards for himself as well. Blanco said he might also request for a police escort.
He said that when his mother lost the elections, they ended their conflict with Sia. But the mayor went further by granting interviews that he is receiving threats.
“Honestly speaking, we never thought of that,” Blanco said of the shooting of Sia’s bodyguards. “We are more concerned about the legal battle.”
Blanco has filed a perjury case against Sia, which is pending before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
While Sia and Blanco disagree on a lot of things, they agree on the need to reinforce the town police and replace some of the policemen.
“I welcome the augmentation of the force. There is also a need to change some policemen with those who are loyal to the flag,” Blanco said.
Sia has requested the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) to replace some of the police officers in Ronda, including the chief, Insp. Juan Casipong.
Casipong went on leave. He designated SPO1 Bertuldo Mansueto as officer-in-charge.
CPPO Director Carmelo Valmoria earlier said they will have to wait for the end of the election ban on transfers and new assignments, after the barangay and youth polls last Oct. 29.
But Valmoria already deployed a team of the Special Reaction Unit to Ronda.
Blanco, in an interview, said that the town policemen are at the mayor’s beck and call. “If you are a good mayor, why should you have bodyguards with unlicensed firearms?” Blanco said. (JGA)
