Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Roughnecks harass Bankerohan voters
A GROUP of burly men, dressed in what ordinary folks regard as those of goons, went around interrogating people but refused to identify themselves at the Bankerohan Elementary School in barangay 5-A where the trickle of voters have admitted to feeling harassed.
Former Barangay 5-A captain and now City Councilor Edgar Ibuyan, in a phone interview Monday, said the people were alarmed by the sudden appearance of a group of men who were asking about some people in the barangay.
"Mangutana sila ug mga pangalan sa mga tao na ilang itudlo. Kung pangutan-on pud sila sa mga tao unsay ilang tuyo, masuko man daw sila. Nahadlok mga tao kay dagko man mga tawhana (They were pointing to some persons and asking their names. Asked why they were asking, the men would get angry. So the people got scared)," Ibuyan said.
Hearing of the complaints, Ibuyan said he called Davao City Police Office Chief Jaime Morente for assistance.
Ibuyan added that when he arrived at the Bankerohan Elementary School at about 1:30 p.m., the men were still there.
"Gi-istorya nako sila unsa ilang purpose. Di man pud sila musulti, basta naa lang daw sila didto. Gihangyo na lang nako nga dili lang sila manita ug tawo kay mangahadlok. Naka-civilian clothes ang uban tapos naka kalo. Ang uban pa, naka-fatigue ug pants pero dili pulis ug dili pud army (I asked them why they were there. They refused to reply vaguely saying that they are just there. I asked them not to harass the people because they have frightened the people. The men were in civilian clothes, some wore caps. Some of them were wearing fatigue pants but they were neither police nor soldiers)," Ibuyan said.
Ibuyan said the men left after a little with barangay officials still knowing nothing about who they were and what they were doing there. (GLP)
