NPA Disarms Mayoral Bet’s Bodyguards

As the election campaign heats up, the New People’s Army’s strict implementation of its policy of disarming the armed bodyguards of candidates who campaign in areas under its influence has added to the heat. Surprisingly, candidates of Lakas-CMD – President Macapagal-Arroyo’s own party – and other local and church leaders gave no negative reaction to the incident.

BY MARS S. MARATA
Bulatlat.com

PAGADIAN CITY – Guerrillas of the New People's Army (NPA) disarmed a mayoral candidate during a campaign sortie on April 19 in a hinterland village in Tambulig town, Zamboanga del Sur province, some 50 kms from this city.

Mayoral re-electionist Eduardo Balaod (National People’s Coalition or NPC) was with his four security escorts aboard three single motorbikes after a campaign sortie in Barangay (village) Upper Liason when some 30 fully-armed men posing as government soldiers blocked their way down the town center, around 2:30 p.m. Monday

Police authorities said that seized by the armed men from the group of Balaod were one M-16 armalite rifle, one baby armalite, two 9mm and one .45 caliber pistols. Police Inspector Jorge Andam, Tambulig town police chief identified the police escorts as PO1 Regnel Aliño, PO1 Albert Lumingo and private guards as Toto Bosil and Jimboy Tantan.

Andam added that the two policemen were assigned as security escorts while the two others were Balaod's private guards.Balaod and his companions were not able to resist the disarming as they were caught by surprise, he said.

The NPA confirmed the incident. In a statement, Joel Ortigas of the NPA's  Front Monterosa Command said the people’s army merely implemented the existing policy of prohibiting politicians from conducting election-related activities bringing armed men within its territories.

NPA warning

Ortigas recalled that Balaod was issued a warning letter by the NPA-Western Mindanao March 20 last year urging him to heed the complaints of almost 100 Tambulig government employees over charges of corruption and abuse of power.

Their complaints centered on the P7 million unexplained cash advances, non-remittance of P4 million worth of employees' government insurance share and the "illegal and oppressive" transfer of employees who were said to be critical of the Balaod administration.

In his reply to the NPA dated March 31, Balaod denied the said charges saying the protest of the concerned employees were "politically motivated," implying the vice-mayor who was then known heading for an electoral match this May, was behind it.

But Vice-Mayor George Aleman, in an interview with this paper last year said, "the employees did their own, I only give them my moral support being a public official who saw the legitimacy of their cause."

"Initial Victory"

As reaction to the news of the disarming, Catholic parish priest Dexter Zamoras said that what happened to Balaod was an "initial victory" for the people of Tambulig town.

Zamoras was one of the pillars of a multi-sectoral citizens group called Oust Balaod Movement (OBM) organized in December 2001 that has openly called for the resignation of the mayor due to corruption and abuse of power charges.

When a libel case was filed by Balaod against OBM leaders last May following a street

demonstration and publication of anti-Balaod materials in December 2002, Zamoras, although not named in the complaint, volunteered to go to jail in protest.

Accused in this libel complaint were 10 OBM leaders including the town's vice-mayor George Aleman. The case was dismissed last October.

In an interview, Zamoras said, "Maayo pa ang NPA kay nakapatuman pa sa Comelec gun ban.” (The NPA is much better because they were able to implement Comelec's gun ban.)

"The disarming also belied the claims of Balaod that he is a friend with the NPA and that he will not be harmed by them despite his sins to the people," Zamoras added.

Bulatlat.com tried to get the side of Balaod but he was not available for comment. His aide said Balaod was not bothered by the event and that the campaign activities will go on as planned.

Vice-mayor George Aleman (Lakas-CMD, the party of Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo) who now challenges Balaod for the May elections, said "The disarming helped us in such a way that Balaod's capability to intimidate voters is now lessened." Bulatlat.com

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