THE senior citizens’ election in Barangay Tabok, Mandaue City on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 26, 2020, was marred by a punching incident.

Tabok Barangay Captain Dario Tarriman told SunStar Cebu he was surprised to see Felix Suico Jr., head of the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, at the event at 5:20 p.m. since Suico is not even a senior citizen.

Tarriman and Suico faced each other in the last four barangay elections.

Tarriman said Suico and his wife were hanging out near the ballot box so he told them to leave. This irked Suico’s wife and they ended up arguing, he said.

Without any warning, Suico punched him in the lip, Tarriman said.

The barangay official said he was advised by specialists to go to the hospital because of his medical history: he suffered a stroke in 2009 and underwent angioplasty in 2016.

He also reported the incident to the Basak Police Station since it was not the first time that Suico had punched someone.

Patrolman Eduardo Martinez of the Basak Police Station said both parties had the incident recorded in the blotter.

According to Suico’s accounts, a drunk Tarriman entered the Barangay Basak Gym where the election was taking place. He allegedly insulted Suico’s wife.

Tarriman’s blotter report states that the argument between Tarriman and Suico’s wife resulted in Suico’s violent act.

Martinez said both blotter reports were for “record purposes” as both parties showed no interest to file a case against each other.

SunStar Cebu tried to interview Suico, but he refused to give a statement on the incident. (KFD)