Pasig solon files charges against bgy chairman

It’s still more than a year before the 2004 elections but this early, politics has started heating up in Pasig City. And Rep. Henry Lanot, of Pasig City’s lone district, fired the first shot when he threatened to file anytime this week obstruction of peaceful meeting charges against City councilor Jose "Boy" Tatco and Chairman Jaime de Leon of barangay Pineda. "They will have to answer in court the disruption of peaceful meeting charges which I will file against the two of them," Lanot said, referring to Tatco and de Leon.

Lanot has made known his intentions to challenge in the coming elections his godfather, former Pasig City Mayor Enteng Eusebio, who will seek the mayoralty post being held by his wife, incumbent mayor Soledad Eusebio. Tatco and de Leon are avid supporters of Eusebio.

The congressman said he was conducting a meeting at the riverside in the said barangay around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday when De Leon along with 10 of his tanods arrived and questioned the meeting. Lanot said that De Leon, who was apparently under the influence of liquor started shouting, heckling and demanded to see his permit to hold the said meeting. Lanot said he saw Tatco with de Leon’s group.

To prevent a heated confrontation, the group of Lanot packed and rang up Chief Superintendent Rolando Sacramento, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), who in turn referred the matter to the Pasig City police. Sacramento also dispatched a seven-man Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) operatives, who accompanied Lanot to Barangay Pineda where they chanced upon a group of barangay tanods drinking liquor in a public place at around 1:30 a.m. Three of the tanods, Leopoldo Oro, Fely Deraya and Victorino Aguinaldo were arrested. They yielded a caliber .38 revolver, an improvised caliber .22 pistol with magazine and 15 pieces of ammunition.Police filed illegal possession of firearms against Oro, while Deraya and Aguinaldo were charged of violating a city ordinance for drinking in public places.

It was learned that the tanods were celebrating the birthday of one of their members. The STAR tried but failed to reach Tatco and de Leon for comment.