NP bet for councilor accuses Gujilde of siding with Radazas

CEBU, Philippines - Nacionalista Party candidate for councilor Rufo Bering complained to Lapu-Lapu City Comelec officer Ferdinand Gujilde yesterday afternoon that barangay tanods, who he alleged were identified with the Radaza camp of Deretso-Lakas Kampi-CMD, were allowed by some Board of Election Inspectors in some areas to distribute priority numbers.

Bering along with NP mayoralty candidate Junard “Ahong” Chan and one of their lawyers, arrived at the Comelec office asking that the giving out of priority numbers be stopped.

The supposed meeting led to an altercation when Bering, who is also the incumbent barangay captain of Canjulao, became emotional, accusing Gujilde of siding with the Radaza camp.

“Ayaw pagngisi-ngisi diha. Sayang lang ang imong ka gwapo. Nihatag man ka ug pabor sa mga Radaza ba,” Bering told Gujilde at the top of his voice.

Chan tried to pacify Bering and before Bering went out Gujilde’s office, he told him “You are in connivance with the Radazas.”

Gujilde maintained his calmness and never responded to Bering’s accusations.

After the confrontation, Gujilde issued a separate memorandum order to all BEIs to stop the priority number scheme and disallow barangay officials and tanods to do Comelec work.

250 augmentation men from the Police Regional Office  7 headquarters and the Philippine Air Force (PAF) were dispatched to Olango Island to help maintain peace and order there, with eight to nine policemen and soldiers assigned to each clustered precinct.

Lapu-Lapu City Police Director Mariano Natuel Jr. said the peace and order on election day was manageable with zero crime incident.

As of 11:40 a.m. clustered precinct 153 in Punta Engano Elementary School, Liberal Party (LP) mayoralty bet Efrain Pelaez, Jr. and his wife Christine cast their votes. While at 3:40 in clustered precinct 96 in Mactan Elementary School, Mayor Arturo Radaza and his wife, Paz, cast their votes. It took the PCOS machine awhile to accept Pelaez couple’s ballots.

“Gubot, daghang glitches from priority number to technical problems on PCOS. Ipuno pana ang vote buying and teachers that are conniving with the Radazas,” Pelaez told reporters after casting his vote. Chan voted in his precinct in Pajo Elementary School as early as 7 a.m.

“First time man gud ni and we should expect this problem, but vital man gud ni nga sipyat,” Mayor Radaza said. (FREEMAN NEWS)