Cagayan mayor denies attack on CEZA chief’s son

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Sta. Ana Mayor Darwin Tobias has denied admitting in a television interview that he engaged in a shootout with supporters of his rival for the mayoral post during the May 13 elections.

Tobias said the video footage submitted by his rival, Alphonse Jean Ponce, before the local office of the Department of Justice (DOJ) was edited.

Ponce earlier filed multiple attempted murder charges against Tobias.

Excerpts from the video allegedly show Tobias saying he will not hesitate to shoot back at his attackers during the election day confrontation near Ponce’s campaign headquarters in Barangay Sta. Cruz.

“I was asked by the TV reporter what will I do if I was my supporters and a shootout will break out. I replied I have no choice but to fight back,” Tobias said.

He said he was not among the passengers of a Mitsubishi Strada and a Starex van Ponce claimed strafed his headquarters.

The mayor said he was advised not to go out during election day to avoid possible kidnapping attempts by his political opponents.