Council aspirant’s family wants to forget ‘kidnapping’

THE family of a City Council aspirant wants the alleged kidnapping of one of their own to die a natural death.

The issue has drawn speculations that the incident was linked to the 2010 elections.

The family of Canitoan Barangay Chairperson Marlyn Lagumen has opted to "forget" the incident and "chose to move on," said Gusa Barangay Chairman Enrico Salcedo, de facto spokesman for the mayoral campaign of Representative Rolando Uy.

Lagumen, who is seeking a City Council seat under Lakas-Kampi-CMD, had avoided the media when news of the December 28 "kidnapping" of her son-in-law broke out.

Erwin Marcelo, husband of of Lagumen's daughter, Celeste Marie, was found by his wife and a policeman in Divisoria area a day after his alleged abduction. He was brought to a hospital after exhibiting emotional trauma, police said.

Salcedo said Marcelo and the Lagumens will not file charges against or issue any statement to the police.

He said the family pleaded for understanding from the public.

"I have talked to her (Lagumen) and we respect her family's decision," Salcedo said. "It's their right to keep this matter under wraps."

But Salcedo considers as a "bombshell" Lagumen's disclosure that her daughter had tried to convince her to withdraw her candidacy shortly after the December 28 incident -- an indication that whatever hay have happened to Marcelo that day had something to do with his mother-in-law's candidacy.

But Salcedo declined to provide details. He said the Barangay Canitoan official -- a former administration supporter -- has decided to pursue her candidacy nonetheless.

"She told her daughter that she is already decided to run, and that there was no turning back," the Barangay Gusa official said.

He advised Uy's supporters to be "vigilant for other possible political harassments"-a thinly-veiled reference to Uy's closest rival in the mayoral race, Vice Mayor Vicente Emano (PaDayon-PMP).

Emano’s ally Mayor Constantino Jaraula earlier dismissed the possibility that the "kidnapping" incident was linked to politics.

He advised Uy's camp not to point fingers. (ALR)

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