Sanlakas: Mayor threatened our officers

CEBU, Philippines - A non-Bantayan, Cebu resident who organized a protest rally in the town yesterday, exactly a year after super typhoon Yolanda struck, has accused Mayor Ian Christopher Escario of allegedly threatening them, causing some leaders to back out.

Nally Murillo, the Sanlakas organizer and Bulig Visayas – Cebu area coordinator, said Escario allegedly threatened them last Wednesday that he would deploy his armed group if they would continue their assembly.

Some of their leaders, she said, opted not to join yesterday’s rally after that.

Murillo said that the next day, Thursday Escario finally agreed.

Murillo, who was based in Lapu-Lapu City but is now in Bantayan for Sanlakas’ current project for young Yolanda survivors, said that prior to the alleged threat, she sent a letter informing Escario’s office about their activity.

“Gusto siya dili mi mag-rally…kay law-ay kuno kung naa placards, flags ug magsyagit-syagit. Katungod man na namo,” she said.

Bantayan yesterday held a program at the town plaza a year after ravaged northern Cebu with Governor Hilario Davide III and other officials in attendance.

Sanlakas secretary-general Aaron Pedrosa said they are now coordinating with the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines and the Commission on Human Rights for possible violations of Escario and explore other legal courses of action against him.

Pedrosa said the local government of Bantayan misinterpreted the assembly they organized as a form of attack on the town.

Pedrosa, who hails from Tacloban City, said Escario tried to keep them away from the plaza by limiting them to an area where there were no people.

Pedrosa said they gathered at the plaza but were forced to transfer and do their marched in Barangay Suba going to the reclamation area, which Escario designated.

In a separate interview, Escario said they invited the group last November 5 and 6 for a consultative meeting.

The mayor said he found the reason for the assembly valid but that the organizer was not even from Bantayan but from Lapu-Lapu, referring to Murillo.

“Usahay man gud, sayon raman kon critic lang ta. Sayon ra nga mo-criticize ta unya wala ta kasabot unsay nahitabo (Sometimes, it is easy to act the critic.  It is easy to criticize even when you do not know what is going on),” Escario said.

He said the commemoration program at the plaza included time for a dialogue, where residents could peacefully express their sentiments in a civil manner with the government officials present.

The march rally by 300 Sanlakas members and supporters pushed through yesterday, with delayed rehabilitation efforts by national and local governments being the main issue tackled.

Pedrosa said the march was in solidarity with other protest assemblies held throughout the country seeking justice for Yolanda victims and survivors since the government failed in its rehabilitation programs in calamity-stricken areas.

He claimed that only less than one percent of Yolanda survivors have already availed of permanent housing while 200,000 families still suffer living in tents and bunkhouses.

He said it took almost a year for President Benigno Aquino III to sign the rehabilitation master plan when there are families who continue to struggle against preexisting conditions and the effects of the super typhoon.

He added that more than P2 billion in assistance was given in the form of a loan instead of cash grants and that there was no clear livelihood programs implemented in displaced communities.  (FREEMAN)