Punches, kicks thrown over Taguig poster area
Rival political camps in Taguig City continue to trade allegations of election campaign violations following a scuffle last week at a common poster area designated by the Commission on Elections.
Richard Gomez, who is running for councilor under Kilusang Diwa ng Taguig party of opposition mayoral candidate Rica Tiñga, accused employees of the city government’s Public Order and Safety Office (Poso) under reelectionist Mayor Lani Cayetano of “harassment.”
This was after Poso personnel tore off KDT posters and threatened his supporters. Gomez claimed that he was also manhandled in the April 9 incident in Central Bicutan.
He said he and his entourage had just finished a house-to-house campaign in the area around 11 a.m. when they saw around 20 men in “black Poso jackets” removing KDT posters at a rotunda fronting the North Daanghari welcome arch.
Gomez, who was then in a convoy with his supporters, said the Poso men then approached their vehicles, “kicked them” and tore off even the tarpaulins on his private car.
In the ensuing commotion, Gomez said he was pushed back while his supporters were choked and punched in the stomach by “the goons.”
Article continues after this advertisementHe later reported the incident to the Taguig police station.
Article continues after this advertisementBut the Cayetano camp said it was the KDT who “started it” on Tuesday by “encroaching” on a section of the poster area that was exclusive to the mayor’s party.
Darwin Icay, a candidate for councilor and spokesperson for the local Nacionalista Party chapter, said the Poso agents were only “accosting” Gomez’s supporters for removing Cayetano’s posters.
“The rules should be spelled out for the Tiñgas in order to achieve an orderly and clean election,” Icay added. “These common poster areas are intended only for candidates of the political party that sought permission from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).”
But according to the Comelec’s Taguig office, any party can use the common poster areas and only the poll body is authorized to remove illegal campaign materials.
