ILOILO – For Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Valentin Serag of the 1st District, Mayor Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr. of Guimbal town and son Cong. Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr. – now facing criminal and administrative charges filed by a policeman – were brave and deserved public support.
Serag was reacting to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.’s call “to assess the kind of politics and governance in the 1st District” following the Dec. 26, 2018 mauling of a policeman in Guimbal.
According to Serag, the Garins loved the people of Guimbal so much they were not afraid to tarnish their good names just to protect their constituents.
“My respect for them grew all the more. I believe they will face the charges,” said Serag, nephew of Mayor Garin’s wife, Mayor Ninfa Serag Garin of San Joaquin town.
Defensor urged Ilonggos, particularly those in the 1st District, to reevaluate their choice of leaders.
“Kon may aksyon nga nahimo sanda nga indi manami sa panurok kang iba, nahimo nanda ‘to para sa ika-mayad kang kaduruhan nga Guimbalanon kag pagpalangga sa pumuluyo kang 1st District,” said Serag.
On Dec. 27, Police Officer 3 Federico Macaya Jr. charged the Garins before the Office of the Ombudsman with assault upon a person in authority, grave coercion, grave threats, physical injuries, slander by deeds, serious illegal detention, alarm and scandal, grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of public officials, oppression, abuse of authority, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the public.
“Para sa akon dapat matun-an kang iba nga mga pulitiko ang indi paghadlok nga mahigkuan ang anda ngalan. Dapat naton matun-an ang pagpalangga sa mga tawo nga aton nasakupan,” said Serag.
In a statement, Congressman Garin said he got irked with Macaya after a victim in a Dec. 22, 2018 commotion at the Guimbal public plaza told them the policeman persuaded him not to file a complaint against an attacker and that the cop forced him to sign an affidavit expressing disinterest in filing charges.
“For me, what the policeman did was a betrayal of public thrust kag klaro nga pag abusar sang iya posisyon,” according to the congressman.
For Defensor, what happened was “a wake-up call, especially to the people of the 1st District” and a chance to reform politics there.
“Ano nga wake-up call? Para sa akon wala sang wake-up call diri…Dapat man nga matun-an sang tanan nga magpanindugan para sa interes sang mga tawo nga nagboto kag nagsalig sa ila bisan may malapakan kag bisan madagtaan ang pangalan,” said Serag.
Macaya, however, denied having pressured the victim in the Dec. 22 Guimbal plaza fracas into not pursuing charges against the suspect.
According to the policeman, Congressman Garin mauled him, slapped and spat on his face near the town hall while Mayor Garin was training a .45 pistol at him.
The Philippine National Police and Department of Interior and Local Government expressed support to Macaya.
“If a policeman committed a wrongdoing, there are so many bodies that can investigate. You do not beat up and humiliate a police officer in front of the public,” said Interior secretary Eduardo Año. “What we want to show here is that no one is above the law. Whatever your position is in government, whether you are a small ordinary citizen or a high-level government official, we are all the same in the eyes of the law.”
Meanwhile, Director-General Oscar Albayalde of the Philippine National Police said, “I cannot in conscience let this pass without justice. I am directing the PNP Legal Service to provide legal assistance to Police Officer 3 Macaya in his complaint and possible countercharges by the respondents.”
But for Serag, “Bisan ano ang matabo, bisan may malapakan, bisan ang ngalan madagtaan, kon ini aton ginapatihan nga ang aton ginapakigbato kag aton ginahimo kag aton panindugan para sa ika-mayad sang kaduruhan, aton sanda nga ununga.”
The 1st District is the acknowledged political bailiwick of the Garins.
Another SP member from the 1st District, Renee Valencia, backed the Garin father and son, too.
“As far as I am concerned, sa amon personal relationship, political side, waay man kami ‘ya naka-experience. Daw first time ini nga natabo. May possibility nga this is just an isolated case,” said Valencia.
The Garins must be given due process, she stressed.
“Abogado man kita. Indi man puede maka-judge kon sin-o ang guilty kag may salabton until such time mabatian ang side, explanation kag ang depensa man nila,” said Valencia.
The filing of charges against the Garins at the Ombudsman, she added, gave the mayor and congressman the proper venue to answer the complaints.
Valencia described the Garins as “good and responsible leaders.”/PN
