SAN ISIDRO, Nueva Ecija – The chief of police here has found himself in deep trouble after allegedly barging into a private resort where a political camp was conducting a campaign caucus on suspicion of vote-buying recently.
Administrative charges of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service were filed against Police Major Ranny Casilla, town police chief, and eight unidentified policemen before the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) in Camp Olivas, Pampanga by a certain Salvador Franco, resident of Barangay Entablado, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija on April 12, documents showed.
In his complaint, corroborated by two other witnesses, Franco said they were holding a caucus for 4th District congressional candidate Maricel Natividad-Nagaño inside Farm View Resort in Barangay San Roque here at around 10 a.m. on April 7, 2019 when Casilla and his team barged and took pictures of the people inside.
Nagaño, a former mayor of Gapan City, is running against re-electionist Rep. Magnolia Antonino.
“Sila ay pumasok sa nasabing resort dahil umano mayroong nagaganap na pay-out o vote-buying gayong natunghayan nila na walang nagaganap na vote-buying sa nasabing resort sapagkat ang kanilang nasaksihan ay isang legal at simpleng pagpupulong pulitikal na naaayon at ginagarantiyahan ng Omnibus Election Code,” Franco said in his complaint.
Franco said Casilla failed to present search warrant.
The incident, he said, sowed fear among the people especially as they were being photographed by policemen brandishing long firearms.
“Sila ay nagtataka kung bakit sila kinukuhanan ng litrato ng nasabing mga pulis na noon ay armado ng mahahabang baril na tila ba susuong sa isang digmaan,” he added.
The incident, Franco alleged, has been a hot topic in the district that caused fear among their supporters.
Casilla declined to comment saying he has yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
