Swift police response pre-empts poll violence in Bangui

By Alfredo C. Garvida Jr.

Contributor

BANGUI, Ilocos Norte—A possible violent confrontation between the followers of two contending candidates for Barangay San Lorenzo chairperson post was averted by the swift action of the Bangui police station.

The breach of the peace started when Barangay San Lorenzo chairperson Elmer Faylogna, running for re-election against challenger Marwin Calina, allegedly imported some 50 motorcycle-riding men from Pagudpud into the barangay who came in “roaring like thunder,” as one observer has pointed out, at about 8 pm  of October 25.

Faylogna, who was re-elected by a slim margin of 4 votes, accompanied by “his goons,” as one disgruntled resident has averred, allegedly intimidated some followers of Calina in the streets, which precipitated the latter to almost react in likewise fashion were not for the timely intervention of a police team led by P/Insp. Joseph Tabayan, the deputy police chief of the Bangui police.

Police Sr. Insp. Joseph Baltazar, Bangui police chief, related to this writer how they dispersed the intimidating motorcycle-riding men of Faylogna to avert possible violence on that night.

Some observers said however that Faylogna’s men did not return to Pagudpud but hung around the barangay and resumed their chores until election day.

There was a report of gunfire in one section of the barangay the following night allegedly by Faylogna’s men, which prompted Calina and his men to respond accordingly, but no violent confrontation between the rival groups occurred due to swift police response.

In the early morning of the election, Faylogna was seen at Sitio Ubbog allegedly making a last ditch campaign which was relayed to Calina, who rushed to the scene to verify the report.

A gunfight allegedly almost ensued were not for the timely response of Baltazar’s men again.

Calina and Faylogna’s wives are both members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Bangui. Calina is a businessmen who is successfully engaged in cock-fighter breeding while Faylogna is also a businessmen engaged in construction and is closely associated with, and allegedly backed up by, a certain Col. Nolasco.

Nolasco is allegedly the president of AFPSLAI, an organization of retired military and police officers which handles the multi-billion pension fund of all these people’s retirement money. Nolasco, a retired military officer who allegedly moves around town yet with active military personnel as bodyguards, also owns Hannah’s, a multi-million resort enclave in the tourist town of Pagudpud.

The past barangay election in San Lorenzo, as the Bangui residents have observed, was a “battle royale” between rivals of means.

Reports have reached this writer that one quarter even went to the extent of allegedly giving P4,000 to one voter, depending on that voter’s profile.

The honest electors of Bangui are extremely disappointed that money merely dictates now the outcome of the elections in this town, as what had transpired in the local elections last May.

Some observers even went as far as saying that with the looming explosion of tourism business around this place, they will not be surprised if corporate power will dictate the election of leaders here.