Bugo exec petitions court to hold rival in custody

ELECTED-barangay chairman Perseverando Araña formally filed a separate petition asking a local court to hold in custody his rival, appointed-barangay chairman Nerio Obliosca, pending the resolution of a petition to cite the latter in contempt of court.

The petition further asked that, should the court find Obliosca in contempt of court for violating its preliminary injunction after comment and hearing, the penalty should be at least one month imprisonment and a minimum P30,000 fine.

Obliosca defended himself saying he is only trying to obey Mayor Vicente Emano's commands and hold true to the chief executive's pronouncements that City Hall still acknowledges him as barangay chairman of Bugo.

"I am the one appointed and recognized by Mayor Emano as barangay chairman of Bugo," he said over dxIF Bombo Radyo.

Barangay Bugo currently has two barangay chairmen -- Araña who got elected in the last barangay elections but "wrongfully tendered his resignation" and Obliosca who was appointed by Emano.

Obliosca refused to step down and so Araña went to court and got a preliminary injunction order against Obliosca with a P100,000 bond from Judge Florencia Sealana-Abbu.

But Obliosca stormed the Bugo Barangay Hall last Friday and locked himself inside the Office of the barangay chief, claiming that he has not yet seen the court's order and the P100,000 bond receipt that Araña paid.

Obliosca stepped out of the office only last Tuesday after Philippine National Police regional director Florante Baguio and Cagayan de Oro city police director Aurelio Trampe went to Barangay Hall to look into the situation.

Bagabuyo, due to the incident, filed Thursday a motion to cite Obliosca in contempt of court at the Regional Trial Court.

The petition is asking Judge Abbu that she issues an order for Obliosca to "immediately report" to the court upon receipt of order and that Obliosca file his comments within 10 days thereon.


(July 14, 2006 issue)