Poll security in Negros town further tightened

Police have placed Pulupandan town in Negros Occidental under double red alert due to simmering tension there in the past several weeks. Radio dzBB reported Monday that Sr. Supt. Celestino Guara, head of the local provincial mobile group, said added police troops will be on hand to guard the situation there. The town was the site of a violent confrontation between supporters of local candidates that resulted in the most costly incident for this year’s election. Last weekend, Sun-Star Bacolod (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported that some 186 persons arrested for trading stones and gunshots in Negros Occidental last April posted bail of P1.2 million. The report said the 186 managed to elude arrest by posting the bail before Judge Manuel Limsiaco of the Valladolid-Pulupandan-San Enrique municipal trial court for their temporary liberty. Each of the 186 posted bail at P6,000 each at the sala of Judge Lorna Demonteverde of Municipal Trial Circuit Courts in Cities at the Hall of Justice in Bacolod at about 5 p.m. Thursday. Mayoralty candidate Magdaleno “Magsy" Peña admitted filing the case against the 186 Mondia supporters. Peña sued them for stoning the house of re-electionist Councilor Heide Gonzales in Zone VI, Pulupandan town April 28. “The Mondia supporters also threatened to kill my supporters," Peña said. Some 25 persons, including Police Officer Winnie Espinosa, were arrested in that incident. Those arrested included former OIC mayor Oscar Somis, Bonito Chan, Marty Tumalaytay, Luz Gonato, Lilia Ocquias, Angelina Castillo, Crisinti Flores, Enrique Ramos, Henry Dogohoy, Sylvio Dagohoy, Mario Estares, Jimmy Agocejo, Eduardo Casildo, Rene Locsin, Jason Catuiran, Joffrey Gargarita, Joffrey Yunque, Elmar Rivera, Roger Rodilla, Jerry Garcia, Francisco Libratan and Leopoldo Ignacio. Initial police investigation showed that 25 supporters of Peña along with the court sheriff went to the residence of re-electionist Councilor Hedy Gonzales in Barangay Zone 6 to serve a court order for ejection. But before they could take over the house, supporters of Mondia arrived to oppose the action, triggering a verbal confrontation. The confrontation deteriorated into a stone-throwing incident that worsened when gunshots came from unknown direction, causing people to scamper. No one was reported hurt. PO1 Winnie Espinosa of PNP Special Operations Group (SOG) and Ernesto Pedia emerged from the house and turned over a cal-.45 pistol with seven live ammunitions and a cal-.38 revolver. The two firearms were found to be unlicensed. The two claimed they saw the guns near the kitchen but they were placed under investigation. Provincial police director Sr. Supt. Rosendo Franco immediately sent two teams from the 612th Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) led by Guara to assist the local Pulupandan policemen in easing the tension. - GMANews.TV