By Alfredo C. Garvida Jr.
Contributor
BANGUI, Ilocos Norte—A possible violent confrontation between
the followers of two contending candidates for Barangay San Lorenzo chairperson
post was averted by the swift action of the Bangui police station.
The breach of the peace started when Barangay San Lorenzo chairperson
Elmer Faylogna, running for re-election against challenger Marwin Calina,
allegedly imported some 50 motorcycle-riding men from Pagudpud into the
barangay who came in “roaring like thunder,” as one observer has pointed out,
at about 8 pm of October 25.
Faylogna, who was re-elected by a slim margin of 4 votes,
accompanied by “his goons,” as one disgruntled resident has averred, allegedly
intimidated some followers of Calina in the streets, which precipitated the
latter to almost react in likewise fashion were not for the timely intervention
of a police team led by P/Insp. Joseph Tabayan, the deputy police chief of the
Bangui police.
Police Sr. Insp. Joseph Baltazar, Bangui police chief, related
to this writer how they dispersed the intimidating motorcycle-riding men of
Faylogna to avert possible violence on that night.
Some observers said however that Faylogna’s men did not return
to Pagudpud but hung around the barangay and resumed their chores until
election day.
There was a report of gunfire in one section of the barangay the
following night allegedly by Faylogna’s men, which prompted Calina and his men
to respond accordingly, but no violent confrontation between the rival groups
occurred due to swift police response.
In the early morning of the election, Faylogna was seen at Sitio
Ubbog allegedly making a last ditch campaign which was relayed to Calina, who
rushed to the scene to verify the report.
A gunfight allegedly almost ensued were not for the timely
response of Baltazar’s men again.
Calina and Faylogna’s wives are both members of the Sangguniang
Bayan of Bangui. Calina is a businessmen who is successfully engaged in
cock-fighter breeding while Faylogna is also a businessmen engaged in
construction and is closely associated with, and allegedly backed up by, a
certain Col. Nolasco.
Nolasco is allegedly the president of AFPSLAI, an organization
of retired military and police officers which handles the multi-billion pension
fund of all these people’s retirement money. Nolasco, a retired military
officer who allegedly moves around town yet with active military personnel as
bodyguards, also owns Hannah’s, a multi-million resort enclave in the tourist
town of Pagudpud.
The past barangay election in San Lorenzo, as the Bangui
residents have observed, was a “battle royale” between rivals of means.
Reports have reached this writer that one quarter even went to
the extent of allegedly giving P4,000 to one voter, depending on that voter’s
profile.
The honest electors of Bangui are extremely disappointed that
money merely dictates now the outcome of the elections in this town, as what
had transpired in the local elections last May.
Some observers even went as far as saying that with the looming
explosion of tourism business around this place, they will not be surprised if
corporate power will dictate the election of leaders here.
Comments
Post a Comment