CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The political tensions at the Bataan provincial capitol in Balanga City has reached a stalemate on Monday, disrupting the services of the government there for over a week now.
These happened as suspended Gov. Enrique Garcia Jr. and his supporters held their ground and as acting Gov. Serafin Roman called off plans to remove the barricades and normalize the operations there.
Speaking through his media relations officer Ben Medina, Garcia said he would remain in his office at the Bulwagang Bayan across the capitol up to Wednesday.
Garcia has extended his original Friday deadline as he sought remedy from the Court of Appeals against what he called illegal suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The six-month preventive suspension on Garcia as well as on provincial legal officer Aurelio Angeles Jr., provincial treasurer Merlinda Talento and former provincial administrator Rodolfo de Mesa (now Balanga City administrator) stemmed from their alleged illegal dispensation of P120-million worth of properties of the disputed Sunrise Paper Products Inc. in Orani town, a copy of the Nov. 5 order showed.
Garcia had blamed Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez for his woes. The suspension order as well as a graft case filed last week at the Sandiganbayan in relation with “grossly disadvantageous” compromise agreement with the Presidential Commission on Good Government over the Baseco shipyard properties was the handiwork of Gutierrez.
He said she blamed him for the defeat of her brother, Roseller Navarro, in the mayoral race in Samal last year.
Gutierrez had, however, inhibited in the Garcia cases. The Sunrise case was filed by workers seeking P9 million in salaries and benefits. The Baseco case was filed by former Mariveles Mayor Oscar de los Reyes.
Roman, 73, said he cancelled his plans to be able to “prevent chaos” at the capitol.
“Hindi po tayo makalapit. Guardyado. Maraming supporter si Governor Tet. Mga 500 to1,000. Hindi natin kayang pangahasan na magbukas ng opisina (We cannot come near.
The capitol is guarded. Governor Tet has many supporters. They’re about 500 to 1,000.
We cannot attempt to open the capitol),” Roman said by phone on Monday.
He confirmed the continuing disruptions to government services, saying in Filipino: “The capitol has been locked. There are no employees. All offices are closed. Everything has stopped.”
Roman said his plans might have “leaked out,” prompting Garcia to prepare against these.
Deterred, he said he “gave the ball” to the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to implement the removal of the barricades and open the capitol.
Roman set no deadline for that but said he would respect Garcia’s Wednesday deadline based on their agreement in a “tearful meeting” on Sunday.
“I have inhibited. I told [DILG Central Luzon director Renato] Brion and Bataan police director Senior Supt. Manuel] Gaerlan that I’m leaving it to them to decide. I don’t want to be causing very much damage to our province mates” Roman said.
The supporters are mostly senior citizens, day care workers, village councilmen and other constituents staunchly loyal to Garcia.
Roman said, however, that his own sympathizers wanted to mass up at the capitol to show support for him and acting Vice Gov. Efren Pascual Jr.
“It’s okay for me to wait for a month or two. I can wait. I’m not greedy or excited to assume. I lead a simple life. We have no plans to take the post from [Garcia],” Roman said.
Asked about the larger public interest, which is the delivery of government services,” Roman replied: “I have issued a memorandum on that.”
In San Fernando, Brion rued Roman’s “lack of assertion” on his authority to temporarily take over the reigns of power and bring normalcy at the capitol.
“May mananagot diyan (Somebody will have to answer for that),” Brion said, without naming yet who was liable for the disruption in government services.
“The rule of law is not being adhered to,” he said.
As things were going, Brion clarified that the DILG and the PNP are not authorized to dismantle barricades.
“Only the civilians can do,” he said, adding maximum tolerance would be employed and force would not be used.
CATHOLIC CHURCH STEPS IN
On Sunday, Balanga City Bishop Socrates Villegas has begun to intervene by calling for sobriety among disputing parties.
“After consulting my priests, we decided to issue a statement. [It calls] for sobriety, [It calls] on court for expeditious judicial process. [It calls] for dialogue and end to animosity and revenge,” the bishop said in a text message passed on to Punto Central Luzon.
“No to violence to solve the stalemate,” Villegas further said.
Roman confirmed that the bishop has sent a certain Fr. Divina as an emissary.
Medina said Garcia was meeting with the bishop and the PNP this noon.
Gaerlan confirmed the meeting, saying that the police wants to “resolve the impasse in the most peaceful manner.”
