Man who sued mayor claims death threats

A former councilor of Daanbantayan town who sued Mayor Maria Luisa Loot for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act has claimed receiving death threats.

Rosanni Luche, a resident of barangay Poblacion, Daanbantayan, and temporarily residing along Urgello Street, Cebu City, reported the incident to Fuente police station yesterday morning.

Luche said that he received the death threats by telephone one week after he filed the complaint against Mayor Loot before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

"Bay, pasensya ka na. Di ka na kaabtan ug pasko merry Christmas na lang!" one threat went. While another was: " Konsehal, maglakaw ka nga wala nay ulo, isang bala ka lang konsehal."

The former councilor sued Loot after she allegedly let a 9,247.62-square-meter government-owned lot in barangay Poblacion, which used to be the site of the public market and slaughterhouse, be occupied by private individuals, depriving the government of millions of pesos in income as a result.

The property, which has an estimated value of P18,495,240 was allegedly intruded into by Helito Cañete, Isagani Cañete and other relatives who built houses and other permanent structures on the lot.

Loot's camp claimed that Luche's complaint is politically motivated because he is eyeing an elective position in the coming elections and belongs to the rival political camp of the mayor.

Luche admitted that he is a close friend of Augusto Corro, a resident of Daan Bantayan who allegedly plans to run for mayor against the son of Loot, but he insists the charges he filed against the mayor are supported by documents. - Jose P. Sollano