ANGELES CITY – Now walk in the park, the elections in Barangay Balibago here.
Tension gripped the city’s premier village Monday night during the canvassing of votes after a vehicle carrying five ballot boxes and five teachers was blocked by the village chief right in the middle of a major thoroughfare blocking traffic and causing chaos.
The vehicle, which came from the Sta. Maria Elementary School, was on its way to the city hall following instructions from the Commission on Elections at about 7:30 p.m. when it was blocked by re-electionist Barangay Captain Rodelio “Tony” Mamac on Gueco Street corner Tarlac Street.
Mamac placed his vehicle in the middle of the road as his supporters swarmed all over the vehicle carrying the ballot boxes cursing the teachers inside who were cowering infear. They began rocking the vehicle, which bore no plate number, as they shouted more invectives at the teachers.
Only the presence of policemen escorting the vehicle prevented what could have turned into a lynching.
The standoff lasted for almost four hours and ended only when Comelec Election Supervisor Atty. Numer Lobo convinced Mamac to go to the nearby Gueco Elementary School where the canvassing of votes was ongoing.
The teachers later identified themselves as Roda Lozano, Arlyn Maghuyog and Cynthia Pabalan all from the Sta. Maria Elementary School and Lorna Demayo and Grace Pineda from the Tinio Elementary School. They were crying as they recalled their ordeal.
Several of the teachers said they were even forced to answer the call of nature inside the vehicle as evidenced by the plastic bags full of liquid left inside the vehicle. Teachers from the nearby Gueco Elementary School brought them food as they remained inside their vehicle during the standoff.
Edna Tongol, principal of the Gueco Elementary School, said the teachers were only following written instructions from the Comelec which directed them to bring the ballot boxes to the Treasurer’s Office and the Election Returns (ERs) to the Barangay Board of Canvassers.
“Kayatad na po nitang ballot box keng city hall (After the ballot boxes are brought to the city hall) the whole BEI will then come back to the school until the ERs have all been canvassed.
They are not allowed to go home until the ERs have been canvassed as per the instructions,” Tongol said as one of the teachers brought out a copy of the instructions. But Mamac said his only intention was to protect the integrity of the elections. “I have already won why should I still instigate chaos?”
At one point, Mamac approached the teachers, who were still crying and apologized profusely. Later, Mamac said: “I won in Sta Maria, Tinio, and Gueco by landslide. My supporters were baffled why the ballot boxes are being brought – in a vehicle with no plate numbers, at that – to the city hall which is not the normal procedure as compared to past elections that’s why we had to do something.”
Comelec Election Supervisor Lobo said Mamac dismissed the incident as “a minor misunderstanding.” “Hindi rin naman po natin puwedeng ibunton ang lahat ng sisi sa grupo ni Mamac kasi naninigurado lang sila.
Siguro nagkataon lang na ang sasakyan ay walang plaka dahil bago. So siguro nagkaroon lang ng konting hindi pagkakainitindihan (We cannot put the blame entirely on Mamac’s group because they were just trying to make sure. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that the vehicle has no plate number because it’s new. So maybe there is just a minor misunderstanding),” Lobo explained.
It was shortly before daylight that Mamac was proclaimed by the Comelec as re-elected barangay captain of Balibago with some 800 votes over his rival, former Councilor Alfie Bonifacio who also tailed him in the vice-mayoralty contest last May won by incumbent Vicky Vega-Cabigting.
