Nestor Aquino, Sr. who served as mayor here from 1986 to 1992, claimed that Mayor Victor Badar even challenged him to a gun duel aside from showering him with invectives.
Aquino said he was at the ground floor of the town hall in the morning of Feb. 26 while his companion was distributing letters to members of sangguniang bayan at the second floor when Badar supposedly confronted him.
Badar reportedly asked what he was doing at the town hall to which Aquino replied with a “Good morning, mayor.”
“Ako ba naman, naka-wheel chair ay hahamunin niya ng barilan, pakukuhanin niya ng baril,” lamented Aquino.
He suffered from polio when he was five years old.
Aquino believed Badar was irked by his Feb. 15 request for a copy of the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of the mayor and his department heads as well as for the personal data sheet (PDS) of the mayor’s wife, Remedios, who is serving as municipal administrator.
Aquino meanwhile asked from Vice Mayor Marlon Gamboa copies of the 2017 and 2018 annual budget and programs under the local government’s 20 percent development fund.
He denied politics behind his requests and said he was inspired by Pres. Duterte’s Executive Order on Freedom of Information that was issued on July 23, 2016.
But he expressed disgust over how things are going at the municipality.
“Marami silang ginagawa na hindi malinaw kung ano ang nangyayari. May bidding ba?” he said.
Badar has yet to comment on Aquino’s issues.
Aquino also called out the police for not accepting a report on the incident.
He said he went to the police station at about 3 p.m. that Monday, but an officer refused to take his report and instead allegedly asked him to go to the village where Badar resides.
He returned on Wednesday and the same policeman, upon instruction of the chief of police, took his report but wrote it only on a piece of bond paper.
Badar on the other hand denied challenging Aquino to gun duel, saying he could not harm him amid his anger.
The mayor admitted raising his voice but he said it was because Aquino allegedly called him corrupt.
“Sabi niya, yung mga dokumento ng natapos nang projects nagpapatunay na ako ay corrupt. Dun na tumaas ang boses ko,” Badar explained.
