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Saturday, November 01, 2008
Town mayor accused of harassment
CANDABA -- A security guard has accused Mayor Jerry Pelayo of harassment after he was threatened by the mayor to "bury him alive".
Juan Narvaza Jr., 43, a security guard of Visual Security Agency and resident of Maligaya Street, Dau, Mabalacat town, claimed that Pelayo harassed him during a confrontation at the town hall recently.
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Narvaza said that he was waiting for Councilor Andy Gulapa at the town hall on Monday when Pelayo's bodyguards confronted him.
Pelayo allegedly ordered his men to invite Narvaza at the mayor's office where the harassment allegedly transpired.
"Ako po ay natakot dahil wala naman po akong ginawang masama (I was afraid since I have done nothing wrong)," Narvaza said.
He said he was just trying to see Gulapa to ask for a better job because his children are now in college.
In the mayor's office, Narvaza said that Pelayo asked him to produce identification cards and then asked the town's chief of police to conduct an investigation and put him in jail.
Narvaza said the mayor shouted at him, saying "gusto mo ibaon kita ngayon dito (Do you want to be buried here?)."
On the other hand, Mayor Pelayo denied Narvaza's accusations.
"As a mayor, I am security conscious," he said, adding that Narvaza's face is not familiar to him.
He said that Narvaza pretended to be a member of the Mabalacat police force.
"However, he failed to show any identification card that he is a policeman. What he showed instead was an ATM (automated teller machine) card," the mayor said.
He added that he even called up acting Mabalacat chief of police Jovencio Flores to verify Narvaza's identity. Flores, however, informed the mayor that there's no such name in his office.
As a result, Pelayo challenged the security guard to file his complaint before the court or proper agency instead of issuing "misleading" statements.
"Kung may complaint siya sa akin, bakit di niya i-file sa korte para masagot ko siya? Kung saan saan siya nag kokomplain at sino sino pa ang pinupuntahan niya. (If he has complaints against me, then he should file it in court so I can answer him)," Pelayo said.
But Narvaza said he never introduced himself as policeman.
Gulapa, for his part, said that he was dismayed by the incident, saying "its not right to treat a visitor that way." (Reynaldo G. Navales/Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (November 1, 2008 issue)
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