No Comelec control for Toledo City

CEBU — Police and Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials said Toledo City remains peaceful but for Thursday night’s violent incident at an Abag-Promdi rally, and they will not likely place the city under Comelec control.

Once an area is placed under Comelec control, the poll body assumes operational jurisdiction over peacekeeping forces it can assign to that area and can impose stringent measures to keep the peace.

Toledo City police chief Agustin Lloveras said the violence at Thursday night’s Abag-Promdi rally was isolated and not likely to affect the overall peace and order situation in the city.

The Abag-Promdi rally was interrupted by the arrival of a firetruck with its sirens wailing and lights flashing.

Abag-Promdi founder Lito Osmeña was speaking onstage when the truck drove right through the throng of people listening to him.

Angered by the intrusion, Abag-Promdi supporters mauled two firefighters, who claimed they were only responding to an alarm brought on by the explosion of firecrackers at the rally. — Freeman News Service