City to track down harassment source

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City government will track down whoever is behind the threats against the lives of barangay captains of upland barangays here.

The captains of Buot, Paril, Lusaran, Mabini, Sudlon II, Bonbon, Malubog, Tabunan, Budlaan and Cambinocot paid a visit to acting mayor Edgar Labella yesterday to express their concern.

Aside from the death threats, one of the captains also alleged extortion.

“I commissioned (Cebu City Police Office Acting Chief Marciano) Batiancela, who is very supportive on this case, assisted by City Councilor David Tumulak and (Deputy Mayor in upland barangays) Pastor Alcover, Jr. to look into this and we will have them traced,” Labella told reporters yesterday.

“Usa sa mga butang nga atong katingad-an kay nganong kini mang mga barangay captains who are identified supporting the Team Rama (are being involved.) I am not saying that this is something political but ato lang gikahibulongan nganong kani man nga mga barangay captains,” Labella said.

He said, however, that the present case may be considered hazards in serving a public office.

He, himself, was not spared from receiving threats through text messages from different cellphone numbers in the last three month, Labella said.

“I have been receiving threats but I simply disregard them… I am never scared. I only respond to them that I had been floating off the waters for 36 hours. Nahurot na akong kahadlok ug wala nakoy kahadlokan gawas sa Ginoo,” he said.

While investigation is ongoing, Labella advised the barangay captains to be vigilant.

In a separate interview, Batiancela said he has designated Supt. Romeo Santander, chief of the Cebu City Intelligence Branch, to carry out “threat assessment” to verify the authenticity of the complaint.

The CCPO head is eyeing extortion as a motive.

“For me, this is a plain extortion. Nganong mangayo man og kwarta kun imong tuyo is sila gyud? Ngano man sa usa ka kapitan, lahi-lahi (og amount) ang gipangayo?” Batiancela said.

Batiancela said CCPO is ready to provide police escorts to each barangay captain if the need arises following assessment.

Councilor Philip Zafra, president of the Association of Barangay Councils, is standing firm beside the barangay captains.

“Magpabilin nga magkahiusa ang ABC. We will have the issue investigated and trace who is behind this as we have to take this seriously. Dili magpadala sa pagpanghadlok,” he said.

He said politics might have something to do with the situation.

“Duda nako pamulitika ug naay nitumaw nga anggulo nga connected ni sa politika. Ang motibo nila is pagpugong sa panerbisyo tungod kay sagad sa gipadalhan og threats kay katong mga good-performing barangay captains, katong mga daghang nabuhat sa mga barangay,” he said.

Cambinocot Barangay Captain Reynald Lauron confirmed that he received text messages from an unknown sender since Sunday morning asking money from him in exchange of his life. The sender allegedly asked P60,000.

He admitted he fears for his life since his uncle who was a former public official also faced threats in 2007 and was eventually murdered. The case remained unsolved.

“Okay ra man ko kuhaon sa Ginoo, basta dili lang pinaagi sa tawo ba,” he said.

Lauron did not discount the fact that the case might be linked to politics.

“Pulitika pud siguro… Karon daghan man mi nga kapitan na-involve ug basin modus ni sa pikas pud ba, wala ta kahibawo tungod kay puros ra man Team Rama ang giingon niani walay sa pikas nga ni-comment,” he said. – May B. Miasco/JMO (FREEMAN)