Man claims tanods mauled, cuffed him

A MAN identified with a group responsible for putting up the “Never Again” billboard at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) accused three tanods of mauling him inside the barangay hall of Duljo last Wednesday evening.

Senior Insp. Homonuno Sayon, Mambaling police precinct chief, said Renil Oliva claimed that he was mauled by tanods when he refused to go with them to the office of Duljo barangay chairman Elmer Abella.

Oliva filed a complaint for physical injuries at the Mambaling precinct.

Abella, who denied the accusation, also filed a complaint stating that Oliva allegedly identified himself as a “New People’s Army (NPA)” rebel and threatened him.

Abella said he merely invited Oliva because he heard that Oliva was mad at him.

He claimed that during the confrontation, Oliva got unruly.

“There wasn’t any mauling that happened. That’s just their allegation. He got unruly. That’s why we called the police),” he said.

He said a tanod tried but was unable to handcuff Oliva.

Both Abella and Oliva went to the police precinct to air their side on the incident.

Oliva was identified as one of the co-convenors of the Cebuanos for Good Governance and Development (C-GGD) that claimed responsibility for setting up the “Never Again” billboard in front of the CICC.

“Oliva claimed that three men visited his home and looked for him but his wife didn’t recognize them. Oliva then went to the barangay hall to confront Abella and he was mauled by a certain Francisco Caballes Jr. and two other unidentified men,” Sayon said.

“Abella invited him to his office but he refused. That’s why Oliva claimed that he was handcuffed so he can be forced to enter the office,” Sayon added.

Cebu Daily News called up Oliva but he didn’t return the calls.

Abella claimed that several Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) supporters and lawyers showed up at the police precinct and took Oliva with them after the interrogation.