Barangay captain denies threatening constituent

CEBU, Philippines - Buot-Taop barangay captain Rechie Sibla, Cebu City denied allegations that he verbally harassed one of his constituents over the basketball boards of rival congressional candidates Jonathan Guardo and Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Cheryl Lapinid, a resident of Sitio Tay-ug, visited the mayor’s office yesterday to complain about the incident which she claimed has caused her “sleepless nights” and prevented her from leaving her house to sell vegetables and other goods to support her twins.

Lapinid alleged that last February 6, when she was in Sitio Taop, Sibla stopped in front of her on a motorcycle and said: “Basin dili ka kauli sa inyoha, wala ra ba’y mangita nimo kay dili ka taga-diri. Huna-hunaa kay naa ka’y duha ka anak basi’g dili naka makakita,” Lapinid quoted him as saying.

This, she said, was after the captain was informed that she ordered her neighbors in Sitio Tay-ug to remove the basketball board provided by Guardo so it can be replaced by Osmeña’s board.

“Gisugo ra man ko ni kagawad Rosalita Callino na ipatangtang ang kang Guardo na board kay naa na ang board ni mayor total kang mayor man ang stand. Wala ko nagdahom na masuko diay siya niana,” Lapinid said.

Lapinid said she just told her neighbors what Callino asked her but the wife of one of their barangay tanods who heard her relayed a different message to Sibla.

“Niingon man ni’ng asawa sa tanod na nangisog kuno ko og patangtang sa board ni Guardo. Ako giingnan si kapitan na dili na mao iyang storya. Ang sa ako lang ba, nganong nituo man dayon si kapitan sa storya? Nganong wala man ko niya gipangutana. Kalit ra ko niyang giingon ato,” she said.

She said there were a lot of people nearby when Sibla threatened her but none of them are willing to testify because they all favor the barangay captain.

Sibla, in a phone interview, denied the allegation and in turn accused Lapinid and her supporters of only wanting to destroy his image as a barangay captain.

Sibla said that he did use threatening words but only told the complainant that if she wants to remove the board which she herself requested from the barangay, she should have informed him at least as he is the barangay captain.

“Ako sad siyang giingnan na palihog dili ta mag-apil-apil sa politika. Kay giinitan na among barangay tungod aning mga away-away nila sa board. Ako siyang giwarningan na basin maapil pud siya sa away aning mga politiko,” Sibla said.

He said that Lapinid was lying because it was what his political opponent wanted her to do. He said that Callino, Buot-Taop’s former captain, has always been his opponent.

“Buhat-buhat ra na sa kontra-partido kay ganahan siguro siya mahimong kapitan balik maong ila ko pirmi pasanginlan na mupabor ko sa kampo ni Guardo,” Sibla said.

He also questioned why she reported directly to the mayor when they could have settled the dispute at their level.

Osmeña said that he rescheduled his meeting with Lapinid because he had other matters to attend to yesterday.

He, however, promised that he will extend assistance to the complainant who asked for damages because she said she is having financial problems since she stopped her small business.

“Well according to them the barangay captain is bullying them. Atong tabangan. Pamulitika na ni no. The captain is picking on them, bullying them. I will bully the captain also,” he said.

“I’m not giving him his bus because all of them will use it for Atan Guardo,” Osmeña said. – Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)