Luigi receives death threats

Gabriel Luis "Luigi" Quisumbing, candidate for a congressional seat in the sixth district, had beefed up his security after reporting that he has received several death threats over the past two weeks.

Luigi said he still does not know who might be behind the threats but he is taking these seriously especially that the May 14 election is getting nearer. He added that the Comelec was already informed about this and it knew already about his need to have more security men.

The 27-year-old Provincial Board member told reporters in a press conference yesterday: "This is the kind of harassment that "trapolitics" are engaging in. These death threats are practically political harassment."

The threats have been made through phone calls from undetermined sources to Luigi’s headquarters at any time of the day. These calls ordered him not to campaign in some "unfriendly" barangays if he still wants to stay alive.

Luigi, grandson of businessman Norberto Quisumbing Jr. who is the chairman of Norkis Group of Companies, is running against reelectionist Rep. Nerissa "Inday Nerry" Soon-Ruiz, and Vicente "Tingting" dela Cerna, a former governor.

When he ran for a seat in the PB in the 2004 elections, Luigi said he received no threats at all, and it is only now, when he is running for Congress, that he does.

Facing with death threats now, Luigi however said it is high time for the people in his district to elect a representative who could represent them best instead of electing a representative who did nothing but "patronage politics."

Patronage politics, he said, is engaging in dole-outs to the public or the simple way of "giving fish to the people instead of telling them how to fish."

Luigi had assailed the present leadership as "quite mediocre and unfortunate" for the district for allegedly failing "to make investment a priority", which could otherwise means better job opportunity and economic stability.

He said election is a "a process of allowing the people to choose who can best represent them. I believed that my platform of government is really for the people of the sixth district. It’s about time to get rid of Shaburakot and Traporakot."

Luigi said his agenda for the district is to make it an industrial center, specially converting the entire Mactan area an economic freezone, and an economic engine for manufacturing, entertainment, commerce and tourism.

The sixth district comprises the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu and the towns of Cordova and Consolacion. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon with reports from Leia Albiar /RAE