MOISES PADILLA, Negros Occidental — Two municipal mayors and a town vice mayor yesterday called for an intervention by the President to ensure a peaceful election in their areas and to enable the people to freely exercise their right to vote.
In a joint press conference in Moises Padilla yesterday, day, La Castellana Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, Isabela Mayor Joselito Malabor, and Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo
appealed to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to hear their plea and see for himself the real situation in their respective localities.
Malabor and Mangilimutan are seeking re-election, while Yulo is running against her uncle Atty. Magdaleno Peña who is seeking re-election.
The three also denied charges made by Peña that they are supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA).
They accused Peña of hiring goons to intimidate and sow terror in their towns.
Mangilimutan said, “How can I be an NPA supporter when I am a former policewoman… Can they trust me?” Her husband is an active police coronel.
Yulo, on the other hand said she is not a supporter of the NPA and is not siding with the military nor the NPA.
She added the people in the town are afraid of the NPA, the military, the police and Mayor Peña.
“I am siding with the people,” she said, adding that as a public servant she is duty bound to help those who ask for help.
On his part, Malabor also denied that he is an NPA supporter, saying that his office gives assistance to those asking for help.
The three claimed that Peña is tagging them as NPA supporters to turn the police and the military against them.
Malabor alleged in the press conference that Peña is allegedly the mastermind in the killing of his brother, former provincial board member Renato Malabor Sr.
Yulo on her part accused Peña as the mastermind in the ambush of her convoy last April 25, 2019 that resulted to the death of her brother Marc Garcia and their nephew, re-electonist councilor Michael Garcia.
In an earlier press conference, Mayor Peña has denied the said accusations, saying he has nothing to do with the ambush and that no case will prosper against him because he is not involved.
Mangilimutan on her part said Peña allegely linked her family to illegal drugs. She denied such allegation.
The three officials challenged Peña to show up and face the charges against him.
Yulo asked the help of the media to also bring to President Duterte her family’s appeal to help them attain justice for the death of Marc and Michael.