Man says village chief sent him death threats

CEBU, Philippines - A 25-year-old man sought the assistance of the Cebu Police Provincial Office yesterday after he received a series of text messages, including alleged death threats, believed to have been sent by a barangay captain.

Jimms de Gracia asked help from Police Investigation Detective Management Branch chief S/Insp. Wilson Abot to lodge a complaint against Lanas barangay captain Rey Arnoza of Naga City.

De Gracia said the misunderstanding started last January when the barangay captain allegedly pledged to shoulder the first and second prizes of the basketball league for their sitio’s fiesta celebration on January 24.

Arnoza did not, however, give even a single centavo to De Gracia and the rest of the organizing committee, so the latter allegedly had to look for a job to pay for the prizes that they promised to give.

After the fiesta, Arnoza allegedly told the religious in the sitio that he did not want them to celebrate fiesta in the barangay anymore and just celebrate one fiesta in the parish since they are all celebrating the feast of Sto. Niño.

He even ordered the father of de Gracia to return the image of the Child Jesus to the parish church in Barangay Uling, which the latter faithfully complied. Arnoza is the president of the Parish Pastoral Council in Uling.

Parish priest Rev. Father Reynaldo Sagnoy did not know of the barangay captain’s move, so he ordered for a meeting with the faithful last January 8.

But Arnoza allegedly called a meeting with his constituents and told de Gracia and the chapel youth leaders to disband and ordered an election of the new sets of officers.

After the barangay captain did this, they sought the advice of broadcaster Lloyd Suarez in his radio program on February 6.

After the radio program, de Gracia claimed he then received a text message from an unknown number, saying he should be careful not to make mistake in the barangay.

“Pag-amping lang dili ka masipyat sa barangay kay dili ka magmahay,” read the text message that he received 12:09 a.m. on February 7.

The complainant said at 9:18 on that day, he received a summon from the barangay, served by barangay tanod Jeffrey Selgas, ordering him to appear at the barangay hall at 9 a.m.

He declined to go to the barangay hall since the notice came late.

He said he found it weird since the complainant and the person who signed summon was the same person.

Another text message was received by the complainant at 10:18 in the morning of the same day that he claimed to be threatening his life.

“Puthaw man kaha na imo lawas? Bisa’g asa ka tago makuha ra gihapon tika,” the text message said.

Few minutes later, a man who de Gracia believed was PO3 Gilmer Noval of Naga Police Station, in civilian clothes, came and gave him written invitation for him to appear at the Investigation Section 9 a.m. on February 9.

The invitation was signed by the chief of police, said de Gracia. 

Right after Noval left he received another text message saying “Pulis nana akong gipadala diha. Gahi man kaha ka.”

The complainant said he is also filing a case against the barangay captain before the Ombudsman today for using authority in harassing him.

In an interview, Arnoza denied the allegations, saying de Gracia only fabricated things up.

He added that he summoned de Gracia because he sent him inappropriate text messages.

“Wala gyud to nako buhata, di ko mobawos ana niya. Siya’y ga-text nako nga bati kaayo nga nakaguba sa akong pagkatawo,” he said.

He admitted sending de Gracia summons, but right after, he consulted with the City of Naga’s Interior and Local Government officer and, thinking de Gracia might not appear, he went to the police station.

De Gracia did not appear in any of the summons so Arnoza decided to file a criminal case against him. (FREEMAN)