Raps for men who opened the Compostela town hall

CEBU, Philippines - The four men who destroyed the padlock of the main door of the Compostela Municipal Hall last Wednesday have been identified and will be facing appropriate charges.

During the tension in the town, Mayor-elect Joel Quiños’s supporters Edgar Pasaol, Junrey Lucero, Eddie Soronio, of barangay Bagalnga; and Dennis Quiros, of Barangay Magay allegedly destroyed the padlock and forcibly entered the municipal hall.

Senior Insp. Rodrigo Giangan, Compostela police chief told The FREEMAN that it was about past 9 a.m. when he received information about the incident.

People were already entering the lobby of the establishment when they arrived together with the Special Reaction Unit.

“Ambot kinsa ‘tong supporters gubot na man, amo nalang gisultian ug gihangyo nga manggawas hangtod wala nay nagpabilin sa sulod,” Giangan said.

In an interview over TV Patrol Central Visayas, Pasaol said he was not a supporter of either Quiño or Wagas but he claimed he helped in destroying the padlock.

Yesterday, Director Pedro Noval of the Department of Interior and Local Government-7 handed Giangan the list of names of the four persons who are now under investigation.

Police said they are still waiting for the witnesses, who know the four men, to come to their office for their affidavits.

Noval told The FREEMAN that he will be filing cases for malicious mischief and destruction of government property. Another case for theft will also be filed if they will find out that the four men also stole the chain used on the main door.

 “We have to file appropriate charges kay they are taking the law into their hands,” the DILG director said.

Noval, who now sits as the caretaker of the town said, he will be providing whatever the town needs like; proper garbage collection, cleanliness of the market and the slaughterhouse, lighting, and to provide policemen what they need to maintain protection and security.

Meanwhile, seeing an ease in the situation in Compostela, Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador is set to pull out the augmented PNP personnel today.

Last night three teams were pulled out from the area.

“The Public Safety Battalion tua ngadto but i-pull out to nako,” Comendador said.

The police official said the PNP is preventing the supporters of both Quiño and Ritchie Wagas from entering the municipal compound again.

“Dili na gyud namo pwede pasudlon ug balik kung manggawas sila aron dili na magubot,” he said.  (FREEMAN)