• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez slammed accusations posted on social media, linking him and his father, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, to a violent incident in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, Negros Occidental.
“In the past few days, the page ‘Silay Rising’ has been consistently posting false and damaging statements about me. Today’s post, which recklessly accuses me and my father of being involved in the violence in Barangay Mambulac, crosses a line,” Benitez said.
He added: “Let me say this plainly: this is not just political noise, it is a serious and dangerous lie”.
Benitez said that he will not take it lightly, adding that he is already consulting his lawyers and coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the people behind the troll account.
“We will use all legal means available to identify them and hold them accountable in court,” he said.
At the same time, Benitez expressed his sympathies to the victims and their families.
“No one deserves to experience this kind of tragedy, especially during a time that should be about free and fair elections,” he said.
He added that they are closely working with the authorities to ensure the perpetrators of the violence will be apprehended so that justice will be served.
“What happened in Mambulac cannot and should not be buried under a mountain of lies and propaganda,” Benitez said.
The Team Asenso Silay also strongly condemned the shooting incident as it also extended its sympathies to the victims and their loved ones.
Jose Edward Davila, legal counsel of Team Asenso Silay, said “the tragic incident did not happen in a vacuum”, pointing out that multiple supporters of Team Asenso Silay also experienced harassments, including attempted forcible seizure of their personal belongings.
Alarming reports were also made to the authorities about a white van with no conduction sticker and covered license plates, which was spotted in both Guinhalaran and Barangay 2, where another tension-filled incident occurred on Sunday night, Davila said.
He called on the Philippine National Police, the Commission on Elections, and all relevant authorities “to impartially and immediately investigate not just the shooting itself, but the series of clear and reported incidents that preceded it”.
“The lives lost demand justice. The people of Silay deserve protection. The integrity of the elections demands accountability. Let this not be another incident swept under the rug,” Davila said.| GB
