Armed men roam around Ecija villages

CABANATUAN CITY - Armed goons believed to be members of private armies of unscrupulous politicians have been seen roaming around Nueva Ecija villages supposedly to sow terror in the run-up to the May elections.

Three-term third district Rep. Pacifico Fajardo, Lakas-NUCD provincial chairman who is contesting the re-election bid of Gov. Tomas Joson III, said his men gathered intelligence reports that these armed men have been sighted in Gen. Tinio town and in six barangays in Aliaga.

"My men have told me that these (armed goons) have been on a mission to terrorize villagers" in far-flung areas, he said.

Last year, he recalled that five leaders of the ruling party were killed in the province.

Nueva Ecija has been tagged as a perennial election "hot spot" due to its history of poll-related violence.

In San Jose City, Vice Mayor Alexander Belena complained that motorcycle-riding armed men have been roaming around the city.

Belena, in a letter to Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director General Leandro Mendoza, claimed that these men have been going around the city brandishing their firearms.

He claimed that the city police chief, Chief Inspector Rufino Escote, has not taken any decisive action on the matter.

"I do not see how these people - all civilians - can openly and brazenly go around displaying their firearms without any action on the part of Escote unless they have his tacit or expressed knowledge and consent," he said.