|
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Bantayan folk under curfew
By Mia E. Abellana
BANTAYAN Island -- After taking control over the island of Bantayan, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) imposed a curfew starting Saturday night until Monday morning.
Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano told Sun.Star Cebu they are also revoking the gun ban exemptions they previously issued to anyone in the island.
The Comelec Special Task Force in Bantayan announced the curfew will be in effect from Saturday 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday.
Exempted from the curfew are candidates, their lawyers and their watchers at the municipal halls.
Asked if this will affect tourism in the island, Castillano said this was just for two days. "Anyway, 10 p.m. is reasonable," Castillano said.
Intense political rivalry between candidates, sightings of armed men and the killing of Sta. Fe mayoral candidate Rogelio Ilustrisimo Sr. prompted the Comelec to place the three-town island under its direct control.
Sta. Fe, Madridejos and Bantayan towns compose Bantayan Island, which is under the fourth district in northern Cebu.
Hope
The special task force created for the island will supervise and control the administrative activities and transactions of the local government units in Bantayan, including the disbursement of public funds.
Members of the 78th Infantry Battalion (IB) arrived in the island Saturday, further strengthening the forces of Task Force Hope (honest, orderly and peaceful elections).
Task Force Hope chief Lani-o Nerez, arrived Saturday to observe the situation and give last-minute instructions to the augmentation forces.
The troops from the 78th IB arrived shortly past noon onboard a Navy boat and were sent to stay at the gym in Madridejos town.
Members of the Philippine Navy will also be patrolling the seas of Bantayan Island.
Castillano also met with candidates of the towns of Madridejos, Sta. Fe and Bantayan to explain to them the rules of placing the three towns under Comelec control.
Polling places
He also introduced Comelec ground commander Eliseo Labaria and Senior Superintendent Jesus Gacquing, who will lead the police augmentation force.
"Mostly, their concerns were about the security of the polling places, which we have addressed," Castillano said.
Nerez, who is also deputy regional director for operations, said the troops from the 78th IB will aid the members of the Regional Mobile Group and Special Reaction Unit in holding random checkpoints and in enforcing the curfew.
Aside from Bantayan Island, Nerez is thinking of augmenting the forces of other towns in Cebu, Oriental Negros and Bohol.
He explained they wanted to have at least two policemen for every polling place in the region.
As for the liquor ban, which took effect last night, Castillano said some establishments can be exempted if they made the necessary requests with their office.
Tourists
He said establishments needed a certificate from the Department of Tourism indicating they were catering to tourists.
However, he said he had not signed any requests from any establishment in Bantayan Island.
Disseminating the information regarding the curfew became a problem.
Nerez said they were going to use a roving public address system to announce this throughout the island. He also said they were contacting radio stations to inform the residents.
However, some tourists were unaware of what was happening and were also surprised about the number of uniformed personnel roaming the streets.
"Thanks for telling us," an American couple said.
Cut short
For his part, Sta. Fe Mayor Roger Ilustrisimo said he did not mind that a curfew was imposed.
Though it cut short the hours of last-minute campaigning, Ilustrisimo said he and his wife Jennifer were no longer trying too hard.
"We only had a short time to campaign for Jennifer, but because of the people's sympathy, our supporters helped disseminate information," he said.
He said they will just concentrate on preparing food for their watchers.
Jennifer is running in her father-in-law's stead as mayoral candidate of Sta. Fe. The elder Ilustrisimo was gunned down last May 2 outside the Comelec provincial office at the Capitol compound in Cebu City.
Ilustrisimo's rival, Domingo Zaspa of One Cebu-Kampi party, and former policeman Arnulfo Pigon have been tagged for the fatal shooting.
Trust factor
Zaspa has denied involvement and vowed to file counter-charges against the Ilustrisimos.
Bantayan Mayor and reelectionist Geralyn Escario-Cañares also said she has no problems with what the Comelec wants to do in the island.
She also clarified that she did not mean she was against placing Bantayan under Comelec control.
"Wa ko niingon nga di ko gusto. Naa lang ko'y gamay nga mga apprehension. Pero okay naman," she said.
Madridejos mayoral candidate Salvador dela Fuente also said he helped informed his supporters about the curfew.
"That is good. At least we will be secured here. We trust the army and police," he said. (Sun.Star Cebu)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (May 13, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
