Brgy. captain charged for alleged harassment

Two residents of barangay Tinubdan, Daanbantayan town, have accused their barangay captain before the Ombudsman-Visayas of harassment allegedly related to the coming 2007 elections.

In a joint affidavit in support of their individual affidavits earlier filed before the office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, Marciano Placencia and Tereso Garbo claimed abuse of authority, harassment, illegal possession of firearms, malicious imputation of crimes and planting of evidence, ignorance of the law, libel or grave oral defamation against their barangay captain Juanito Ybañez.

Placencia alleged that he was surprised when Ybañez accused him of being a rebel and showed a gun he allegedly surrendered to Garbo, which Garbo, in turn, allegedly gave to Ybañez.

Placencia said that Ybañez offered to settle his case for being an alleged rebel as long as he moves out of the barangay.

In a separate affidavit, Garbo alleged that he was asked by Ybañez to confess that the gun was given to him by Placencia so that Placencia will be charged.

Garbo said that Placencia and Ybañez are political foes and the barangay captain wanted to pin charges on him.

Placencia and Garbo have executed joint affidavit to support their individual allegations against Ybañez and stated that on October 28, 2006 they appeared at the barangay hall after getting a summons and the barangay captain blamed Placencia for making a big story out of the events.

Placencia denied owning the gun but Ybañez allegedly forced him to admit or else he will be charged for illegal possession of firearms. - Gregg M. Rubio/BRP