Despite attacks, NE mayor opposes Comelec control

STA. ROSA, Nueva Ecija — Despite two attempts on his life, the latest of which was last Thursday, this town’s mayor has bucked proposals to place his municipality under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), saying the incidents were isolated.

Re-electionist Mayor Marlon Marcelo told The STAR that such a move was unnecessary and that the recent explosions here did not involve vendetta politics.

"Wala namang barilan na nangyayari. At lalo wala namang vendetta politics kaya sa tingin ko hindi na dapat yan (There has been no shooting. Much more, there is no vendetta politics so I think that is unnecessary)," he said.

Last Thursday, Marcelo’s two police escorts chased a man who had intended to throw a grenade at the mayor’s car as it went out of his residential compound at the Holy Cross College here.

The man, identified as Rogelio Ramirez, was shot in the abdomen as he tried to hurl the explosive at the lawmen. The grenade eventually went off, killing him instantly.

Marcelo doused perceptions that his town was in chaos, saying the peace and order situation remains normal despite threats to his life.

"People here continue to lead normal lives and go about their business," he said.

Earlier, re-electionist third district Rep. Aurelio Umali said he would ask the Comelec to place Sta. Rosa under its control to avert more violence.

But Marcelo said such a move would put not only his municipality but the entire Nueva Ecija in a bad light.

"You place Sta. Rosa under Comelec control at damay ang (and you affect) Nueva Ecija," he said.

Marcelo said he has had no known enemies since he ran in the 2001 elections. "Ayoko ko ng gulo (I don’t want trouble)," he said, adding that his vision to steer Sta. Rosa to progress could be derailed if the situation would get out of hand.

Asked who he suspected could be the mastermind of Thursday’s failed slay attempt, he said, "Let’s wait for the police report. Sometimes we blame it on politics but we have no evidence yet."