ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A re-electionist mayor of President Roxas town in Capiz and his bodyguards were accused of threatening and punching his opponent shortly after midnight yesterday.
Together with his security aides, Mayor Raymund Locsin, a resident of Barangay Cabug-Cabug, allegedly stormed the house of Recelisti Escolin at Badiangon village around 12:05 a.m.
Escolin is Badiangon's Barangay chairman and now challenging Locsin for the mayoralty seat.
In a video allegedly taped by Escolin's camp, Locsin forced open the gate and shouted, "I'm here now. Kill me!" It was assumed that Locsin had heard of rumors alleging of Escolin's plan to kill him.
Escolin, in a statement given to the police, alleged that Locsin, at the time of the incident, seemed to be under the influence of liquor. But it was also noted that the mayor was not carrying any firearm.
Escolin also stated that when he went near the mayor, the latter allegedly forced him to do physical harm on the mayor, but when he did not move, Locsin allegedly punched him on the face.
The mayor then left the house. But it was just momentarily. He allegedly came back and, again, punched Escolin's on the left side of the face. The mayor's group immediately left later on.
Escolin, in his statement, further alleged that one of Locsin's bodyguards also pointed a long firearm at him.
Senior Superintendent Robert Rodriguez, Capiz police chief, said Escolin did not file a formal complaint against Locsin at the police station. Investigators just took his statement over what happened.
Rodriguez said there was no earlier report of heated confrontation between the Locsin and Escolin camps, and that for this May 9 elections, there have been no reported election-related incident all over the region.
But as a precautionary measures, the Capiz Police Provincial Office deployed members of the Capiz Provincial Public Safety Company to three towns—Mambusao, Sapian and Pres. Roxas—where there is perceived political tensions. (FREEMAN)