Durano stops barangay fiesta celebration

CEBU — Sogod Mayor Thaddeus Durano ordered police to stop residents of a mountain sitio from going ahead with their fiesta celebration last Wednesday.

Now he is the subject of a complaint the residents lodged with Gov. Pablo Garcia the other day.

The residents of Sitio Sandayong in Barangay Liki went to see the governor, crying alleged political harassment.

They claim they are supporters of Vice Mayor Dean Severo Dosado, who lost in his mayoral bid against Nosa Marie Quiniahan, a daughter of Durano.

Durano, constitutionally barred from a seeking third term, ran for vice mayor and won.

But Durano, known for his quick temper, denied he harassed the Sandayong residents, saying he only meant to do away with a scheduled disco because of insurgency problems, hence no permit was issued for the activity.

Dalmacio Ebale, president of the Sandayong fiesta executive committee, accompanied by other officers, went to see Garcia, to seek help after police stopped the disco and coronation night of the fiesta queen on orders of Durano.

Police, headed by acting chief Joemiller Batiquang, arrived in Liki at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and stopped the celebration after leaders failed to present a permit.

They claimed the police took the sound system operator and some of his equipment to the police station.

Garcia advised the complaining residents to bring the matter to the attention of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. — Freeman News Service