Antonino, who has declared plans to run for Nueva Ecija governor in next year’s polls, expressed fears of violence amid the apparently politically motivated killing of 14 persons, on top of seven others who survived attempts on their lives in the province mostly this year.
“Eleven of the incidents happened this year, including Angesix since only last September,” Antonino said in the Balitaan forum of the Capampangans in Media, Inc. (CAMI) at Bale Balita here.
Antonino showed records of the violent incidents whose victims included city and town councilors, barangay chairmen and barangay councilors.
Antonino, however, declined to comment on reports that except for two cases, the rest of the victims were known opponents of an incumbent political leader in Nueva Ecija.
The victims since last September included former Association of Barangay Chairmen president Rick Ramos of Talavera, barangay chairman Cesar Baltazar of General Luna, Cabanatuan City, lay minister Nicanor Toledo of San Antonio, former town councilor Daniel Lonzanida of Quezon, and barangay chairman Gariel Roxas of Cuyapa, Gabaldon. A lay minister named Nicanor Toledo, who was politically active in San Antonio, survived an attempt on his life.
The other day, the Nueva Ecija police sacked 11 city and town police chiefs in the province for their alleged failure to do their jobs well.
Antonino noted, however, that except for two of the police chiefs, the others belonged to towns where none of the political killings happened.
Antonino, son of the late former Senators Gaudencio and Magnolia Antonino, said he is set to run for governor under the local party Balane, against Cherry Umali, wife of incumbent Gov. Aurelio Umali who is on his last term.
“It’s going to be a one-on-one rivalry in the gubernatorial race,” Antonino noted.
