Abduction victim, Erland “Eric” Rolloque Vallejos, yesterday cleared Boljoon Mayor Deogenes Wargong Derama of involvement in the incident that took place last May 24.
Eric said that it was Antonio “Iro” Blanco who used the name of the mayor during the abduction. He also accused Blanco of ordering him to steal the coconut meat (copra) from a councilor. Blanco had denied both accusations.
“Wala ko moingon nga si mayor nangita niya, kundi si (usa ka councilor) nga maoy biktima sa kawat,” Blanco said, while denying he ordered Vallejos to steal the copra from the councilor. Some of the mayor’s alleged wards allegedly abducted Eric and mauled him to force him to admit that he stole the copras from a councilor.
Eric’s father, Felix Vallejos, was shocked to hear earlier that his son tagged the mayor’s name in the incident. He said he and the mayor are friends and even worked for the construction of the municipal hall.
Mayor Derama later clarified that the people behind the incident were not his “bata-bata” but only his “kababata” or childhood friends.
Eric just filed a case against the suspects Antonio Blanco, Francisco Blanco, Russell Ceballos, and Vince Ceballos for forcible abduction and attempted murder. His aunt, Inday Figarido Mubarac, supported his filing of the case.
Derama, while inspecting a construction of a footbridge in his town yesterday, said that he cannot even afford to scold his constituents, how much more in mauling someone or being behind such act. —Alexandra Jaca, STC MediaCommunication Intern/RAE