BINALBAGAN Mayor Emmanuel Aranda is facing serious physical injury and grave threat complaints after he allegedly hit a transport leader at the municipal hall two weeks ago.
Complainant Dionisio Encinares confirmed that he filed the charges against the mayor before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on October 25.
He will also file another complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman next week.
On October 11, Encinares said he attended the meeting of the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team at the mayor’s office.
When Aranda saw him, the mayor supposedly asked him why he was there and told him that he doesn’t want to see his face then an argument ensued between them, he said.
Encinares added that Aranda stood from his chair then punched him three times on the face, which caused his eyes to swell.
He said he suspects that Aranda was mad at him because of his post on social media site Facebook, criticizing the town leadership on transport-related issues.
Aranda, when sought for comment, said he will face the complaints filed against him.
He admitted there was punching, saying “gin waslikan (ko siya), backhand (I hit him, backhand).”
“Matapungulan ka ayhan ka mayor kung mayo ka nga tawo? (Will a mayor punch you if you’re a good person?),” Aranda asked.
He said that he approached Encinares to ask about his Facebook post, “but he was so arrogant causing me to hit him.”
“I will not use my hand without any reason at all,” he added.
He said that Encinares called him stupid on Facebook, “he posted g*** nga mayor. Mayo ni patulugon (what a stupid mayor. It’s better that he should die),” Aranda added.
Aranda is also planning to file a complaint against Encinares for harming his reputation through Facebook as he claimed that Encinares is being used by his political rivals.
The mayor said that Encinares is associated with his political opponents.
‘Violent’ act denounced
Meanwhile, progressive group Akbayan-Binalbagan Section has strongly denounced the act of Aranda, which they called “oppressive and violent.”
The group, in a press statement yesterday, claimed that Encinares, who is a public transport and civil society leader in the town, was also threatened to be shot by the mayor.
“The mayor’s action is a serious breach of the code of conduct and ethical standards governing public officials,” it said.
Abcede Jardinico, chairman of Akbayan-Binalbagan Section, said they are urging concerned government authorities, including the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), to issue disciplinary actions against the mayor.
Jardinico said that such action of Aranda shows classic political arrogance and a brazen display of power to silence, and willfully injure powerless and struggling citizens into submission.
“We continue to call on citizens to organize and steadfastly struggle for their rights and interest especially against local abusive officials,” he added.