CEBU, Philippines - The president of the Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter is facing allegations he punched one of his town's barangay captains inside a police station.
Dumanjug Vice Mayor Efren Guntrano "Gun-Gun" Gica, however, did not deny that there was an altercation between him and Candabong Barangay Captain Placedo Mayonela.
Both official alleged the other was drunk at the time of their confrontation.
Gica said he went to Candabong last Sunday to attend its fiesta celebration and was already leaving when he passed by Mayonela, who was drinking with some companions.
Gica said he greeted the barangay captain a "happy fiesta", tapped him at the back, and even shook hands with him, asking if the barangay captain still had enough drinks.
Mayonela allegedly replied in a sarcastic tone, prompting Gica to leave the group. The vice mayor was with another resident who was reported to be running against Mayonela in the elections next month.
He told The FREEMAN, though, that Gica he had already announced prior to the incident that he would not be intervening in the barangay election as it is supposed to be non-partisan.
Gica said he was on his way to his car when Mayonela allegedly yelled at them.
"Tabangi og maayo na inyong kandidato (You have to really help your candidate)," he quoted the barangay captain as saying.
Gica said he felt insulted so he went back and asked Mayonela if he could speak with him in private, which the latter heeded.
Gica said that three steps away from the crowd, he asked Mayonela why he shouted at him when he was there not to campaign but to join the festivities.
According to Gica, the barangay captain retorted that the vice mayor's tap on his back early on was painful.
"Sakit kuno kaayo pagkapikpik. Kung sakit, ngano nilamano paman ka nako? (He said it was painful. If it was, how come he still shook my hands?)," Gica said, adding that he then stepped away.
Gica said he later saw Mayonela at the police station so he confronted the barangay captain, whom he said was already drunk.
Meanwhile, Mayonela had a different version on what transpired. He said he went to the police station after the vice mayor hit him in the back and exchanged foul words with him when they met at a cockfighting arena in Candabong.
Mayonela told The FREEMAN that Gica was allegedly under the influence of liquor when the latter approached him.
"Gipalo ko niya sa akong abaga unya ingon ko nga sakit giingnan man ko niya nga mura kuno kog bayot. Akong gitubag nga basin ikaw maoy bayot (He slapped me in the shoulder and when I exclaimed it was painful he said I was a wimp. I retorted that maybe he was the wimp)," Mayonela said in a phone interview.
Mayonela added that he went to the police station to have the incident recorded but a few minutes later Gica arrived and approached him.
"Ako nidepensa lang ko sa akong kaugalingon nagpa-blotter ko'g siguro (I told him I was just defending myself so I had what happened recorded)," Mayonela said.
He said it was at this juncture when Gica punched him in the face.
Mayonela said he will be filing a case for physical injury against Gica today.
For his part, Senior Insp. Cesar Misola, Dumanjug police chief , said he will let his men explain over their failure to arrest Gica immediately after the incident.
"Hindi pwedeng walang action taken pa-explain ko bukas," he said in a phone interview. (FREEMAN)