Grave threat puts town councilor again in trouble

CEBU, Philippines - Two weeks after he was figured in a check point operation for illegal possession of firearm, a town councilor in Carmen is in hot water again.

Councilor James Camara was accused of chasing a man while armed with a bayonet Wednesday afternoon inside the compound of Carmen Municipal Hall.

Camara is now facing a case for grave threats for allegedly being armed with a bladed weapon and about to hit a certain Domy Ruiz after the municipal councils’ session at past 4:00 in the afternoon.

Arresting officer, SPO3 Renerio Masocol, said that Ruiz was catching for his breath when the latter arrived at the police station, approximately 25 to 30 meters away from the municipal hall.

“Mao gyud akong nakita nga nagukod si Camara unya dunay dalang bayonet,” Masocol said in a phone interview.

This prompted Masocol to put Camara under police custody but the latter refused and asked to be taken to Chong Hua Hospital instead due to his high blood pressure.

Prior to the incident, Ruiz came from the session hall when he met Camara at the drive way.

Ruiz reportedly approached Camara and asked not to include him in the conflict between him and Mayor Martin Gerard Villamor.

This provoked Camara and allegedly took a knife from his car and chased Ruiz until they reached the police station.

Camara denied the allegation saying that it was Ruiz who tried to stab him but he just grabbed the knife during a scuffle.

Ruiz was reportedly a supporter of Villamor of the Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party of which Camara also belongs.

Camara was arrested for possession of a loose firearm two weeks ago after police found a KG9 automatic machine pistol with 16 rounds of bullets in a multicab he boarded in Barangay Ipil, Carmen after he was accused of firing at the place.

Camara also denied saying that he only has a .38 revolver.

He was also brought to a hospital during the said arrest for the same reason of high blood pressure. —/GMR (FREEMAN)