Mayors mixed on watchlist
The mayors of four towns belonging to the Camotes group of islands were mixed in their views of plans by the police to place their areas under the Election Watchlist Areas (EWAs).
San Francisco Mayor Aly Arquillano said it would be best to place it on the watchlist to ensure order and peace in his town during election day.
“And most of all, it will prevent my political opponents’ bad intentions,” he told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview. He declined to elaborate. Police are now considering placing the towns of San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, and Pilar in the watchlist after the strafing incident in San Francisco last weekend which police believed could be “politically motivated.”
With barely one month before election day, Arquillano is compelled to think the same.
Arquillano, running under the Durano-led Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party, is being challenged by Margarito Maningo Jr. of the Garcia-led One Cebu and Adolfo Resplandor of the Philippine Green Republic Party.
Mayor Erwin Yu of Tudela said it is up to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) or Philippine National Police (PNP) to determine if the situation in his town would merit its inclusion in the list.
“The situation here in Tudela is very peaceful, but they are still welcome to include our town,” he said.
Since the strafing incident was in San Francisco town, Yu said the police should focus their attention there.
That, however, doesn’t mean that he objects to Tudela being included.
Yu said he doesn’t believe his political opponents will stir up trouble since they are “friendly.”
The reelectionist mayor is running under Bakud as well and will be up against One Cebu’s Loreto Maratas.
Meanwhile, Poro Mayor Luciano Rama said he doesn’t want the police to include his town since the political situation there is not tense.
“Our campaign here is high-level. There is no violence, just talk. Firearms are never raised here. My opponents and I follow rules on campaign materials as well as dos and don’ts,” Rama said.
He said he also doesn’t believe his opponents will stage a political stunt because they are his friends and they are all token candidates.
Rama, another Bakud candidate, is being challenged Jay Estrera of One Cebu.
CDN tried but was unable to contact Pilar Mayor Jesus Fernandez Jr., who is running for vice mayor under Bakud.
Senior Supt. Clifford Gairanod, Cebu provincial police chief, said a validation committee will finalize their assessment of the areas and submit their findings to the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO-7) on Friday this week.
Police earlier recommended Bogo City and the towns of Carmen, Dumanjug, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Tuburan, and San Fernando as Election Watchlist Areas in Cebu province for this year’s election.
For two consecutive days, the houses of a Bakud party supporter and a barangay chairman seeking reelection have been strafed in San Francisco, Camotes last April 8-9.
PO3 Rongy Cidro said the strafing of the houses owned by Moises Wenceslao, an identified Bakud supporter, and Himensulan Barangay Chairman Reynaldo Maranga were politically motivated.
Both Wenceslao and Maranga met with Mayor Al Arquillano prior to the attacks. San Francisco police have yet to identify the assailants.
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