Isabela b’gay execs form ‘shotgun brigade’ vs rebs

CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela — A serious threat to peace and order in the province looms as barangay officials, fearing a backlash from communist rebels for their support for Gov. Faustino Dy Jr., have formed a so-called "shotgun brigade," the provincial jail warden revealed yesterday.

Retired Senior Superintendent Mario Asis, former Isabela police director and now the jail warden, said there are indications that the "shotgun brigade" is now in operation.

"What the barangay officials fear about is the threat from the rebels that they would be killed if they would campaign for Gov. Dy," he said.

One barangay chairman, who requested anonymity, neither confirmed nor denied his membership in the group, saying he expected the rebels to get back at him because Dy won in his community.

"Apay baybay-an mi nga rang-gasan dakami nga barangay officials (We cannot just allow the NPA to harm us)," he said.

A source in the provincial treasurer’s office said that in mid-2003, Dy, using his discretionary funds, bought shotguns which were issued to the 1,710 barangay heads in the province.

Earlier, Dy had accused the New People’s Army (NPA) of conspiring with the camp of his gubernatorial challenger, former broadcaster and polio victim Grace Padaca, in launching a smear campaign against him.

The Padaca camp, however, belied this, saying they were not aware that the NPA had supported her bid.

Padaca led Dy in the provincial canvassing by 29,473 votes, with the certificates of canvass from six towns — San Agustin, Cordon, Angadanan, San Mariano, Ilagan and Cabatuan — still excluded (although they were already counted) because of questions from both camps.

Salvador del Pueblo, spokesman of the CPP-NPA’s Northern Luzon Committee, had denied any part by its Benito Tesorio Command in the province in Padaca’s campaign.

Dy alleged that three days before Election Day, rebels went around in the towns of Ilagan, Cabatuan, Jones, Luna and San Mariano to intimidate barangay officials.

At least 50 barangay officials from Ilagan and San Mariano have executed affidavits claiming that the rebels warned them against campaigning for Dy.

Senior Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, newly installed Isabela police director, has ordered the intelligence unit to verify the existence of the "shotgun brigade."

Meanwhile, Dy said he was still confident that he would win his re-election.

This, as a campaign staffer of Padaca said they are now preparing for her proclamation possibly tomorrow.

"There’s no question about it; we won in the election. We are now looking forward to her proclamation," he said.