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Thursday, July 03, 2003
Danao mayor socked me, vendor complains
CEBU -- A vendor has accused Danao City Mayor Ramonito Durano III of threatening to kill him if he does not close shop and leave the city.
In the complaint he filed before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, Nolie Bataluna Zanoria said the mayor, for no apparent reason, ordered him to get out of the city within a week from June 25 or face "salvaging" (summary execution).
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7, in an endorsement signed by Regional Director Alejandro Alonso Jr., asked the anti-graft office to look into Zanoria's complaint.
"By good or bad (means), I'll get you when you are still here. There is nothing impossible for me and you know who am I," he quoted the mayor as saying.
When he tried to ask what his fault was, the mayor instead punched him in the stomach and face.
Sun.Star could not contact Durano, also a former congressman, for his comment despite repeated attempts Wednesday.
But a policeman, who was allegedly among those who accompanied Durano, denied he was with the mayor last June 25, nor did Durano go to their headquarters to get police escorts.
The vendor's "deadline" elapsed Wednesday. Fearing that the mayor will make good his threat, Zanoria sought the help of the CHR 7 last Tuesday.
The physical injuries aspect of the complaint was not directly cited, but Alonso asked the anti-graft office to open an administrative and criminal docket against Durano.
Zanoria said in his affidavit that he was sitting in front of his store along the city's seawall on Durano St., Suba at 10 p.m. June 25 when the mayor, along with some policemen, arrived.
Durano was allegedly on board his Ford Expedition while members of the PNP Special Operations Group (SOG) were in their vehicles.
It was a PO2 Nilo Pantoja who called Zanoria, according to the affidavit.
"I readily approached them and greeted the mayor a good evening. Mayor Durano replied, 'You close your store and get out of Danao City.' I asked the mayor what I have done. I did nothing illegal and none of that sort. I have a family and there is God. Even if you kill my family I have never committed any wrong against you," Zanoria complaint-affidavit read.
It was allegedly at this point that Durano hit the right side of his abdomen and face.
"Don't find reasons. Just close your store and get out of Danao City," Zanoria quoted the mayor as saying.
When the vendor explained he had debts to pay, the mayor said he doesn't care.
"The mayor added, 'Bear this in mind, I'll give you one week. But if you won't disappear from here within one week, I will salvage you," the affidavit also read.
Zanoria said his pleas and explanations fell on deaf ears as Durano insisted that he get out of the city within one week.
For his part, Pantoja denied going with Durano in the evening of June 25 in Barangay Suba.
"On that specific date I stayed all night at the office and I don't have knowledge about it," he told Sun.Star Wednesday night.
There was also no record of the incident at the Danao City Police Office, according to desk officer SPO2 Edgar Gomez.
The SOG headquarters is a hundred meters from the Danao City Police Office. Two teams with five policemen in each team man it on a 24-hour shift.
Sun.Star called up Durano six times in his residence for comment, but security guard Roger Capuyan said the mayor had gone out for an important affair. GAN/AIV/Sun.Star Cebu
(July 3, 2003 issue)
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