Peewee camp eyes charges vs police

The camps of dismissed Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad and newly installed Mayor Allan Panaligan are trading charges following last Thursday’s clash between police and Trinidad’s supporters.

Trinidad, accompanied by about 500 supporters, went to city hall to get his job back but were blocked by the police from entering.

Trinidad said he will file charges of physical injury and abuse of authority against Southern Police District (SPD) Deputy Director Senior Superintendent Jaime Calungsod and Pasay deputy chief of police Carlos de Sagun.

"We are now in the process of talking to the people who were hurt in the incident. We are discussing with our lawyers what are the other possible cases that can be filed against these policemen, including even Mayor Panaligan who has command responsibility over what had happened," he stressed.

On the other hand, Panaligan said he will file charges of sedition and inciting to sedition and other felonies against Trinidad and other officials dismissed for graft.

Trinidad, Vice Mayor Antonino Calixto and eight councilors were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the P464.6-million illegal garbage collection and disposal contracts in 2004 to 2005.

They were placed on a six-month preventive suspension starting Sept. 1, 2006 before the dismissal order was issued.

Trinidad had asked the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for reinstatement, arguing that the suspension had expired and the dismissal order from the Ombudsman was "not final and executory."

Trinidad said the dismissal should not be implemented because they have a motion for reconsideration still pending with the court.

He also pointed out that the Court of Appeals last week ordered that the preventive suspension against him reduced to five months. The five-month period ended last Thursday.

A clash erupted when Trinidad, several dismissed councilors and their supporters tried to force their way into the city hall.

Trinidad’s supporters threw rocks and bottles at the policemen, who retaliated with fire hoses. At least 30 people were hurt.

"We went there not to make trouble but only to deliver a copy of the letter we earlier sent the DILG, but instead, we were met by these policemen who were overeager to do their jobs even up to the point of hurting people. There is really the intention to harm," Trinidad told yesterday’s news conference.

Panaligan maintains that the issue, however, was already settled.