Poster war in Manila

Alleged supporters of a congressional candidate in Manila’s sixth district mobbed another candidate’s campaign poster boys for reportedly insisting on putting up their campaign materials along a street shortly after midnight yesterday.

Employees of former presidential adviser Mark Jimenez, a congressional candidate in the district, said they were mauled by a group of men at about 12:30 a.m. along Old Panaderos street in Sta. Ana, Manila. Manila’s district six is mainly the Sta. Ana area and some parts of Sta Mesa.

The complainants Ramil Silvino, 20, Augusto Puzon, 18, Norman David, 29, German Bernardo, 27, and Carmelo Alfaro, all of Tondo, Manila identified two of their attackers as a certain Bambi Ocampo and a Jeff Ocampo, both of Sta. Ana.

Western Police District (WPD) General Assignment Section head Chief Inspector Eduardo Villena said the two suspects are related to one of Jimenez’s opponents, Pablo Ocampo, but could not give their exact relation.

Villena said the five were busy putting up posters when men on board two stainless jeeps arrived and ganged up on them. – Jose Aravilla