Bulacan solon defends firing of gun

Bulacan Rep. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado defended yesterday his firing of a gun during a wedding feast in Hagonoy town Saturday, saying he merely acted in self defense and to protect his integrity as a congressman after he was pushed by a "drunken man."

Alvarado was reacting to a STAR report yesterday where opposition Senators Edgardo Angara and Blas Ople denounced him for allegedly "disgracing" the entire Congress by firing his 9-mm. handgun Saturday during a wedding feast in Barangay Sto. Rosario, Hagonoy, Bulacan.

Alvarado said that he had to act since he had no security personnel and it would be worse if there would be report of a congressman being mauled by a drunken group.

"I know how to handle a gun. I fired in the air and nobody was hurt," he told The STAR.

Alvarado said he agreed with Ople that Hagonoy is a peaceful and progressive town.

"I was mayor of the town for 12 years, before I became a congressman, and I was responsible for transforming it from a fourth class to a first class town," Alvarado said.

Recalling the event, Alvarado said he was passing through Barangay Sto. Rosario on his way to Barangay Sta. Elena when he was asked to drop by a wedding feast in the barangay. He said that he was from Barangay Sto. Rosario and he was glad to participate in a local gathering.

He said he did not know that Hagonoy Mayor Toti Ople, son of the senator and a political opponent, was sponsor of the wedding.

He said that after he spoke before the crowd, a certain Buji Manansala became agitated and pushed him. Ople and Angara identified Manansala as an opposition candidate for barangay captain of Sto. Rosario. – Efren Danao