ANGELES CITY – “Are the lowly people like us the favorite target of the governor and his provincial administrator?”
Thus said yesterday former provincial chief of staff Archie Reyes as he and former 46 members of the Biyaya A Luluguran At Sisikapan (BALAS) condemned the issuance of warrant of arrest against them in connection with libel charges filed against them by Governor Eddie Panlilio and Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu in 2008.
“How come they don’t file charges against big names who issued much worse statements against them,” said Reyes. He and former Provincial Social Services Officer Roperlee Syquia were the only non-Balas members who were charged with libel.
Reyes said prominent businessmen and mayors gave harsh statements against Panlilio and Dabu but the two provincial officials have not attempted to file charges against them.
The so-called Balas boys led by Filologo Rodriguez, former Balas operations head, questioned the timing of the issuance of the warrant against them.
In a statement, the Balas boys said Panlilio and Dabu could have pursued the case because there were talks circulating around that they will be tapped by Governor-elect Lilia Pineda to handle the lucrative quarry operations in the province.
Rodriguez’s team was able to collect some P237 million in the first year of the Panlilio administration. The group said the collection dropped to some P170 million the following year compared to the same period.
“And we expect the collection to be at its lowest in the last year of the Panlilio administrator,’ said Eduardo De Leon, a former Balas officer.
Reyes disclosed that each of the accused should shell out P20,000 each as bail for the two counts of libel. The warrant of arrest was issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 Judge Mary Anne Rivera.
“Some of them could not even send their children to school and now they have to look for bail money,” said Reyes.
Reyes and Syquia sympathized with the Balas boys when they staged rallies in front of the Capitol against Panlilio and Dabu which lasted for about 300 days since they were allegedly illegally removed and maltreated by two officials.
Panlilio and Dabu could not be reached for their comments.
Thus said yesterday former provincial chief of staff Archie Reyes as he and former 46 members of the Biyaya A Luluguran At Sisikapan (BALAS) condemned the issuance of warrant of arrest against them in connection with libel charges filed against them by Governor Eddie Panlilio and Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu in 2008.
“How come they don’t file charges against big names who issued much worse statements against them,” said Reyes. He and former Provincial Social Services Officer Roperlee Syquia were the only non-Balas members who were charged with libel.
Reyes said prominent businessmen and mayors gave harsh statements against Panlilio and Dabu but the two provincial officials have not attempted to file charges against them.
The so-called Balas boys led by Filologo Rodriguez, former Balas operations head, questioned the timing of the issuance of the warrant against them.
In a statement, the Balas boys said Panlilio and Dabu could have pursued the case because there were talks circulating around that they will be tapped by Governor-elect Lilia Pineda to handle the lucrative quarry operations in the province.
Rodriguez’s team was able to collect some P237 million in the first year of the Panlilio administration. The group said the collection dropped to some P170 million the following year compared to the same period.
“And we expect the collection to be at its lowest in the last year of the Panlilio administrator,’ said Eduardo De Leon, a former Balas officer.
Reyes disclosed that each of the accused should shell out P20,000 each as bail for the two counts of libel. The warrant of arrest was issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 Judge Mary Anne Rivera.
“Some of them could not even send their children to school and now they have to look for bail money,” said Reyes.
Reyes and Syquia sympathized with the Balas boys when they staged rallies in front of the Capitol against Panlilio and Dabu which lasted for about 300 days since they were allegedly illegally removed and maltreated by two officials.
Panlilio and Dabu could not be reached for their comments.
