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Saturday, April 20, 2007
4 persons shot at in Sta. Fe town in Cebu
CEBU CITY -- Though things have been peaceful in Madridejos, another incident sparked tension in the neighboring town of Sta. Fe Thursday dawn.
Four persons complained to Sta. Fe Mayor Roger Ilustrisimo that a watchman of Budyong Beach, which belongs to mayoral aspirant Domingo Zaspa, shot at them.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage
Ilustrisimo’s father, Councilor Rogelio Ilustri-simo Sr., is running against Zaspa in the May 14 polls.
Zaspa denied his watchman shot the four persons, saying the shooting may have happened outside his resort.
But the two camps have conflicting views on the incident.
The Ilustrisimos said it was not politically motivated for them.
They believe that those involved have just gone into the resort, which the Zaspas claim as private. That could be the reason the guard fired shots.
But for the Zaspas, the youngsters sneaked into their resort definitely for political reasons.
Roger said he just received reports about the shooting from residents. He explained that the youngsters were residents near Budyong resort and they often go skimboarding near it.
“Nangagi ra na sila duol sa resort unya gipasalbahan kay private property kuno (They just passed near the resort and the watchman shot at them, saying it was private property),” he said, adding that those involved were not his political leaders.
Delma Zaspa, Domingo’s daughter and chief of staff, said the alleged shooting did not happen, but he said those who sneaked into their resort were Rogelio’s youth organizers.
She believes that there was a political motive to their moves.
Delma added they fully support the plan to place Bantayan Island under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) because they felt so harassed by their political opponents.
Superintendent Erson Digal, who heads the subtask group in Bantayan Island, told Sun.Star Cebu Thursday that Niño Tabanao, Christopher Adong, Mark Villacarlos and Mel John Luna, 15, were within the perimeter of the resort when the unidentified watchman allegedly called their attention.
This reportedly sparked an argument until a gunshot rang out.
Digal said no one was hurt.
He assured that the situation in the island remained normal and peaceful.
Bantayan Island has been declared an election area of concern due to political tension and alleged presence of armed men patrolling the three towns.
Digal and additional troops were immediately sent to Bantayan Island after a political supporter was shot at, as he was on his way to a campaign sortie.
Digal, who arrived at the island last Wednesday morning, said he spoke to Madridejos Mayor Lety Mancio and assured her that the policemen were all non-partisan.
This was after Mancio announced that she no longer had trust in the police force and accused them of getting money from her opponent, Salvador dela Fuente.
However, he said that after they talked, Mancio cooled down and asked if the team’s food and accommodations were sufficient.
“We decided to stay at the central school and we brought our own provisions,” Digal said.
He added that they secured the political sorties of both candidates held the same day.
Mancio’s camp held a political rally beside the municipal hall while dela Fuente’s group reportedly held their rally at the back of the municipal hall.
Digal plans to pay a courtesy call to all candidates in the island to assure them that his task group is there to secure all of them and that they were not taking any sides.
He said they will be in the island until there are orders from Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. or acting Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria for them to pull out.
The PRO 7 and the Commission on Elections held a peace forum and covenant-signing in Bantayan last Monday, with majority of the candidates and church representatives in attendance.
Alarcio has ordered them to regularly conduct checkpoints in the island as a deterrent to armed persons allegedly roaming the island on motorcycles. (MEA & MBG of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (April 20, 2007 issue)
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