Malonzo: They tried to kill me

Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo claimed yesterday his life was threatened during a recent scuffle between his men and those belonging to another politician.

"They tried to kill me," he said even as his lawyers prepared to file administrative charges with the local People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) against SPO3 Mocel Quilingin, Caloocan Rep. Enrico Echiverri’s security aide.

The mayor added that appropriate criminal charges against Quilingin will be filed today.

Quilingin, who figured in the scuffle with the mayor and his men at the birthday party of City Councilor Gualberto Bacolod shortly after midnight Sunday at Bagong Silang High School, is also preparing a string of criminal cases against the mayor.

Echiverri advised his still Lakas partymate but now estranged friend and former boss to settle down. The lawmaker asked Malonzo not to act like a goon.

"The police is under him, what do I have?" Echiverri asked. He said Malonzo is becoming desperate."This is just politics, my friend. We are not enemies. I’m telling you, if I win, I am willing to let bygones be bygones."

Malonzo, for his part, stressed that he is taking the alleged plan to kill him seriously.

"Pag-aaralan ko ang anggulong ito, ang plano nilang papatayin ako," Malonzo told The STAR.

Echiverri, meanwhile, said he is not taking the lawsuit seriously.

"When the mayor is sober, he will think twice before doing anything," the solon said in a dig at the mayor, who claimed he was not drunk during the incident.

"Nasapawan lang siya. Napikon sa init ng pagtanggap sa akin," Echiverri said adding that the people at the party started calling him ‘mayor’ as he obliged a female fan on the dance floor. He said that earlier, Malonzo had asked the emcee to scram after the latter, acknowledged his arrival. The mayor arrived earlier and already appeared drunk before trouble began, two barangay councilors told The STAR adding they were willing to officially swear to their statements.

Kagawad Leny Sarmiento said Malonzo arrived about an hour earlier than Echiverri and was already showing signs he was already drunk when Echiverri came with Quilinguin, and his personal driver.

Kagawad Corazon Funa (Barangay 183), president of the Councilors’ League of Zone 16, said she was about 15 feet from Malonzo and Quilinguin when she saw the mayor calling the security aide and the ensuing attempt to disarm him.

Malonzo said he caught the solon’s aide giving him the "evil eye" and confronted him about his carrying a gun when it was illegal to bring it to such a place. The aide, who was standing some five meters from the mayor and was watching Echiverri on the dance floor of the hardcourt in front of Malonzo, allegedly answered him. Hearing this, Malonzo said he ordered his men to disarm Quilinguin, who resisted the attempt.

Quilingin claimed the mayor threw liquor on his face, swiped and upended a table sending plates and silverware crashing to the pavement as he ordered his men to disarm him, a story the mayor vehemently denied.

"I am a vegetarian. How could I be a liquor drinker? I am a disciplined man," Malonzo told reporters in a hastily called press conference at his office. Later, he admitted he drank half a bottle of beer at the party.

Malonzo also dared Echiverri to subject both of them to a sobriety test to determine who of them is alcoholic. – With Pete Laude