TWO Kugi Uswag Sugbu (Kusug) volunteers have complained that a Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City “barangay tanod” allegedly threatened and pointed a gun at them while they were on their way to post campaign materials last Wednesday.
Kusug south district candidate for city councilor Raul Recaredo “Deo” Echavez del Rosario said it was political harassment, but said he does not know if the suspect had orders, or was acting on his own.
He said, though, that Barangay Captain George Rama is known in their place as somebody who harasses opponents.
George is an ally of administration group Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) and cousin of incumbent Vice Mayor Michael Rama, who is the BOPK-Liberal Party candidate for city mayor.
“They harassed my supporters. I don’t know if there were instructions from George Rama or they were acting on their own. Pero si George Rama known nga mang-harass (George has been known to harass people),” del Rosarion told reporters yesterday afternoon.
The barangay captain denied the allegations.
Kusug called for a press conference a day after del Rosario accompanied Dave Santiago, 20, and John Gregory Cabillo, 18, to the Mambaling Police Station around 8:25 p.m. to have their complaint recorded.
Santiago said he and Cabillo were in Sitio Panaghiusa, Basak San Nicolas last Wednesday to post campaign materials of del Rosario and other Kusug candidates.
The materials included that of businessman Jonathan “Atan” Guardo, Eugenio “Jun” Gabuya and Ann Vestil, said Cabillo.
Santiago said that with a pail containing paste and a brush, they left the del Rosario compound and were walking when a certain Ryan, whom they said were drinking with several men, called their attention.
They identified Ryan as a barangay tanod and former driver of George.
Santiago said that Ryan asked what they had with them and threatened them after they answered that these were election materials of the Kusug candidates.
“Ingon siya ‘ayaw mo papilit diri basin magmahay nya mo’ (He warned us against putting up the posters),” Santiago said.
Cabillo added they went to Sitio Toong after the encounter, asking residents to allow them to post the materials, when they noticed that Ryan, riding in tandem with an unidentified person on a motorcycle, was following them.
Santiago said he told Cabillo that they would just go back, and started running when Ryan disembarked, pulled a gun and allegedly pointed it at them.
Santiago said they entered the del Rosario compound and went up a house; Ryan, who was still holding a gun, allegedly also entered and even took the campaign materials and the pail with the brush left by the side of the house.
The Mambaling Police Station blotter recorded the incident as a “trespass to dwelling/threat alarm.”
In a separate interview, George dared del Rosario to show proof that he harassed anybody in Basak San Nicolas.
He neither confirmed nor denied knowing Ryan, particularly on whether or not he was his driver.
“Pakihaa lang siya. Kay ako, wala ko’y kalibutan ato. Kung naa siya’y ebedensya, kiha. Wala man na ni-agi sa barangay, nideretso man na sila sa media (Let him sue me. I didn’t take part in any of that. If he has evidence against me, let him sue),” George said.
“Wa ka kuyapi? Kanus-a ko nang-harass? Kandidato siya pasagad siya’g tabi (Is he out of his mind? Did I harass anyone? He should not make false accusations because he’s a candidate),” George said of del Rosario, who will consult his lawyer on what complaints to file.
“It wasn’t just simple trespassing because they brought a gun inside my property,” del Rosario said.