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Sunday, January 06, 2008
Town mayor's supporters warn of bloodshed
By Reynaldo G. Navales
MAGALANG -- Supporters of Magalang Mayor Lyndon Cunanan have warned that there will be "bloodshed" if businessman Romulo Pecson would insist on taking over the town hall here on Monday.
The embattled local chief executive has belied reports saying Pecson has the legal right to assume the mayoralty post in this town in January 7.
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Cunanan showed a copy of the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division dated January 4, 2008.
The Comelec order, which is valid for 60 days, directed Regional Trial Court RTC) Branch 56 presiding Judge Irin Zenaida Buan to cease and desist from issuing a writ of execution or in enforcing the Special Order dated December 3, 2007 in favor of Pecson.
The TRO also directs Cunanan to continue performing the functions of mayor in the municipality.
The mayor also appealed to his supporters to stay calm despite the "black propaganda" and false reports by his detractors.
Pecson is reportedly set to take over the helm of Magalang town on Monday with the effectivity of the writ of execution issued by the RTC last month.
Reports disclosed that Pecson has surmounted all legal obstruction to take the mayoralty post of Magalang now occupied by Cunanan.
This as the RTC denied the petition for a TRO filed by Cunanan to block the decision and the writ of execution earlier issued by the RTC.
Judge Buan upheld the contention of Pecson that Cunanan's camp committed irregularities during the elections.
Buan ruled that the revision of votes showed that Pecson obtained 14,897 votes while Cunanan got 13,758 votes.
A constituent in Magalang town revealed that groups sympathetic to Cunanan are now preparing for mass actions to block the mayor's removal from office.
An informant said these groups under the umbrella organization of Kayantabe ng Cunanan have vowed to defend the official.
The group disseminated statements in support to Cunanan. Allegedly, Pecson was the one who really cheated in the last elections and spent millions just to grab the position "obtained by Cunanan through a fair race."
"We seek the help of Congressman Juan Miguel 'Mikey' Arroyo and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to retain the mayoralty of Mayor Cunanan otherwise there will be bloodshed," the group said.
People power will erupt if our Mayor Cunanan will be unseated. We will fight and die for Mayor Cunanan, said one of Cunanan loyalists.
He added: "We were informed that Romy Pecson is planning to join the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party. Pecson should not be accepted by Kampi, there should only be one Kampi Mayor of Magalang and that is Mayor Cunanan."
He further said Pecson cheated the people of Magalang and does not deserve to be the mayor of the town.
With a slim margin of 64 votes, the Comelec Municipal Board of Canvassers proclaimed Cunanan as the winner in the mayoralty election last May 2007.
Comelec ruled that Cunanan got 12,582 votes while only 12,518 votes were obtained by Pecson. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (January 6, 2008 issue)
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