In his letter to Police Regional Office chief Supt. Silverio Alarcio, Jr., lawyer Braulio Arriola Jr., the counsel of Augusto "Dodong" Diaz Corro asked the regional police to look into the accusation against his client. A copy of letter was furnished to The Freeman.
"The seriousness of the charge impelled my client to vehemently deny (the accusation). Implications will arise such as, unlawful arrests, planting of evidence, reckless filing of criminal cases, which will trigger disturbance of the peace and order in Daanbantayan," Arriola said.
He said his client is very much alarmed by the mayor's statement in a news item published in The Freeman.
Arriola quoted Mayor Loot as saying in the news item: "Usany gusto nilang duwa, patay? Tiwasa ninyo kinsa pay nagpaluyo ninyo. Tiwasa ninyo kay magkamatay ta sa Daanbantayan. Tan-awon nato og may masanto ba didto. Tan-awon nato og kinsay mahabilin nato.
Arriola said the daring statement was dangerous, especially when it came from a town mayor and a wife of Cebu Provincial Police Office director Vicente Loot.
He stressed that Corro is a man of peace and that their group is for a peaceful and orderly Daanbantayan, adding concerned residents of Daanbantayan should unite and fight against those who create trouble in the town.
Mayor Loot had accused the camp of Vice Mayor Mariano Nieve Diaz of hiring goons in preparation for the next elections in May. According to Loot, they have spotted armed men in the property owned by Corro.
Last month, Arriola asked Alarcio to look into the inaction of the policemen in the town on the complaint lodged by two residents of barangay Tinubdan against their barangay captain, Juanito Ybañez.
Instead of acting the complaint, the police filed charges against complainants Marciano Placencia and Tereso Garbo for allegedly harassing a barangay tanod and a resident.
The two, however, denied the allegations. - Jose P. Sollano