Vote-buying, harassment reported in Zambales
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 13 May 2019 03:53:38 +0000
OLONGAPO CITY: At least two provincial buses, one allegedly plying the Candon Ilocos-Manila route, and alleged to be used in vote-buying operations were caught in separate areas here on Sunday night, while a riding-in-tandem fired a gun and threw a smoke signal cannister in front of the home of a village chief in Botolan, Zambales.
The still unnamed driver and conductor admitted they were from Nueva Ecija and were only sent to Olongapo on Saturday to pick up passengers from a place and transport them to another area.
The driver said the unmarked provincial bus plied the Manila-Candon Ilocos route and arrived in Olongapo on Saturday.
He told media that he and his companion were instructed to pick up passengers at the corner of 10th Street and Gordon Avenue and to bring them to Saulog terminal near Admiral Hotel.
Olongapo City Mayor Rolen C. Paulino, in an interview, claimed he received a report that a bus with no name and just a plate number was parked along Gordon Avenue near Pag-asa Market with some 20 passengers on board.
He said he went personally and saw the bus and the passengers. He alighted from his van to ask the driver after introducing himself as the city mayor.
At this juncture, Paulino said the bus driver started the engine and tried to run away, but he gave chase and blocked the bus’ path and forced it to stop.
In an interview, the driver told the media that he was just told to come to Olongapo and arrived in the city on Saturday.
He said he and the bus conductor were told to pick up passengers along Gordon Avenue corner 10th Street and to take them to Saulog Terminal beside the Admiral Hotel.
Another bus with the name LLI on both sides and allegedly being used for vote-buying, was also stopped at the corner of Magsaysay and Rizal Avenues in the same evening reportedly loaded with passengers on the way to an unknown destination.
The driver didn’t want to go down the bus, as Paulino supporters were reportedly trying to break its windows until former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza and lawyer Manny Quijano, former SBMA legal department head, arrived.
An altercation ensued between Paulino and Quijano but police intervened to prevent any untoward incident.
The police also gave assurance that the driver would not be detained but would be asked for some information.
In Botolan, Zambales on Sunday night, a riding-in-tandem threw a smoke signal cannister and fired his gun in front of the house of the village chief here.
A spot report by PMaj Miguel Menor, officer-in-charge of the Municipal Police Station of Botolan to Zambales Provincial Police Office PCol. Felix Verbo, said the house of Ernesto Balintay Juliano, village chief of Barangay Villar, Loob-Bunga, this town was the scene of an illegal discharge of firearms.
According to the police report, two unidentified male persons on board a black Honda Wave motorcycle without a plate number stopped in front of Juliano’s house and the back rider alighted from the motorcycle looking for the victim.
After this, the assailant threw the cannister, then drew his short firearm, pointed it upwards and then fired successive shots.
The suspects then fled using the motorcycle toward Poon Bato.
Recovered from the scene were an empty cannister, a cannister pin, and seven pieces of fired cartridges for cal.45 gun.
Police are conducting follow up operations for possible identification and apprehension of the suspects. PATRICK ROXAS
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