Woman vs woman over Navotas brgy post

Bloodshed is feared in Navotas’ biggest barangay as supporters of both acting chairwoman and its suspended chairwoman, who is staging a comeback, promised yesterday to protect the rights of their respective leaders.

Adoracion Almocera, acting chairwoman of Barangay North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS), refused to vacate her post despite notice from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordering her to "cease and desist" from performing the functions and duties of barangay chief executive. Almocera is questioning the authenticity of the DILG order as well as the timing of the lifting of the suspension of NBBS chairwoman Carolina Villota that was allegedly hastily done in the absence of Mayor Tobias Tiangco.

"It was Mayor Tiangco who swore me in as the acting barangay chairwoman, so it only follows that it must also be Mayor Tiangco who should order me out of my post," Almocera said.

Villota’s supporters said yesterday that they will stage a protest action in front of the NBBS barangay hall where Almocera is holding office to force her to step down. "Gusto pa ata ni Almocera namagkaduguan (Almocera seems to want a bloody confrontation)," Obet Baguion, one of Villota’s supporters, said.

Almocera’s followers, on the other hand, also pledged to protect their leader. "Hindi namin iiwanan si kapitana (We will not leave our chairwoman)," they said.

Last Jan. 14, Tiangco suspended Villota from office for six months after she was found guilty of "dishonesty and other offenses" by the Municipal Council. Villota appealed her suspension to the Office of the President and last April 9, her suspension was lifted.

Almocera, however, challenged Villota to prove the authenticity of the DILG order before she will relinquish the post peacefully.

Luz Hinola of Navotas DILG, however, said that the documents are genuine.

"As far as my office is concerned, the documents regarding the lifting of Villota’s suspension are real," Hinola said.