Cayetanos accuse Tiñga supporters of harassment

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Pia Cayetano accused yesterday supporters of Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga of preventing her, her brother, Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, and her sister-in-law, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Lani Cayetano from voting in the elections yesterday.

In her Twitter account, Cayetano said she and her siblings decided to go back to their house, which is a few minutes away from the polling center at Bagumbayan Elementrary School in Taguig.

“How can they say we instigated it?” she said. “I was defenseless on my bike, with my trainer and one other assistant.”

Mike Ac-Ac, Cayetano’s staff, said the incident occurred after the Cayetano brothers, Ren-Ren and Lino, were harassed and mobbed by Tiñga supporters while waiting in line after voting at Precinct No.130A in Bagumbayan Elementary School at around 1 p.m.

Pia, Alan, and Lani have asked for police assistance to be able to vote, he added. At 6 p.m., Pia, Alan and Lani were able to vote at Bagumbayan Elementary School.

Lani ran for mayor of Taguig against retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Dante Tiñga in yesterday’s elections.

Meanwhile, a former barangay chairman in Taguig charged yesterday Alan Peter and his bodyguards with physical injuries and malicious mischief before the Taguig police.

Francisco Javier accused Alan Peter and his security escorts of punching him during the elections at the C.P. Sta. Teresa Elementary School in Barangay Bagumbayan.