SAN FELIPE, Zambales – From election fraud to land grabbing.
Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, who gained national attention for the infamous “Hello Garci” tapes, has been accused of “land grabbing” a portion of a 27-hectare beach front property in Barangay Sindol here.
Residents of Sitio Linasen, Sindol disclosed to Punto on Monday that Garcillano’s men had put up barricades on a one hectare area last month “under the cover of darkness.” But workers of the property owned by the Bagilat family had removed the barricades last Thursday.
The residents said they were alarmed because a series of incidents involving the discharged of firearms happened last month.
“Should we wait for some blood to drop before we act on the problem? We may get hurt too,” they said in the vernacular. Some 10 Sindol residents told Punto of having seen Garcillano on a property just beside the lot of the Bagilats. The former Comelec commissioner reportedly has some 100 fighting cocks at the property of the USA-based Marinas family. A certain Peter Cacho manages the Marinas’ lot.
Two security guards stationed at the Bagilat property said they had been harassed by men of Garcillano and Cacho. They added that they had threatened to bring in “armed men from the mountains” to help them shoo away their group and hurt them.
“I was on the beach one time and they used rocks to hurt me,” said the guard. “I had to fire warning shots in the air to make them stop.”
Sindol Barangay Captain Rodelio Dasig, in an interview at his office, said he had received complaints of gun firings and land grabbing attempts at the properties of the Bagilat and Marinas. He added that he had asked two of his village councilmen and barangay policemen to monitor the activities at the two properties.
Dasig said Cacho had asked him to recover his belongings trapped at the Bagilat property after the alleged attempt to land grab it last week.
“I think Cacho knows he doesn’t own the lot because he asked for my help to recover his belongings,” the village chief said. “People fight for their rights.”
Dasig said he had asked Cacho why he tried to get a portion of the property owned by the Bagilat.
“I have made a compromise already,” said Dasig, quoting the statements of Cacho. He added that he had urged Cacho to amicably settle the differences between them.
Dasig disclosed he had been informed that a negotiation for the purchase of the said contested lot bogged down last year.
Dasig said he had not personally seen Garcillano in his village. But he added that his people and constituents had told him seeing Garcillano at the Marinas property with Cacho since last year.
Punto tried to look for Cacho at the Marinas property but he was not around. Caretakers of both properties refused to speak with this reporter for their comments.
Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, who gained national attention for the infamous “Hello Garci” tapes, has been accused of “land grabbing” a portion of a 27-hectare beach front property in Barangay Sindol here.
Residents of Sitio Linasen, Sindol disclosed to Punto on Monday that Garcillano’s men had put up barricades on a one hectare area last month “under the cover of darkness.” But workers of the property owned by the Bagilat family had removed the barricades last Thursday.
The residents said they were alarmed because a series of incidents involving the discharged of firearms happened last month.
“Should we wait for some blood to drop before we act on the problem? We may get hurt too,” they said in the vernacular. Some 10 Sindol residents told Punto of having seen Garcillano on a property just beside the lot of the Bagilats. The former Comelec commissioner reportedly has some 100 fighting cocks at the property of the USA-based Marinas family. A certain Peter Cacho manages the Marinas’ lot.
Two security guards stationed at the Bagilat property said they had been harassed by men of Garcillano and Cacho. They added that they had threatened to bring in “armed men from the mountains” to help them shoo away their group and hurt them.
“I was on the beach one time and they used rocks to hurt me,” said the guard. “I had to fire warning shots in the air to make them stop.”
Sindol Barangay Captain Rodelio Dasig, in an interview at his office, said he had received complaints of gun firings and land grabbing attempts at the properties of the Bagilat and Marinas. He added that he had asked two of his village councilmen and barangay policemen to monitor the activities at the two properties.
Dasig said Cacho had asked him to recover his belongings trapped at the Bagilat property after the alleged attempt to land grab it last week.
“I think Cacho knows he doesn’t own the lot because he asked for my help to recover his belongings,” the village chief said. “People fight for their rights.”
Dasig said he had asked Cacho why he tried to get a portion of the property owned by the Bagilat.
“I have made a compromise already,” said Dasig, quoting the statements of Cacho. He added that he had urged Cacho to amicably settle the differences between them.
Dasig disclosed he had been informed that a negotiation for the purchase of the said contested lot bogged down last year.
Dasig said he had not personally seen Garcillano in his village. But he added that his people and constituents had told him seeing Garcillano at the Marinas property with Cacho since last year.
Punto tried to look for Cacho at the Marinas property but he was not around. Caretakers of both properties refused to speak with this reporter for their comments.
