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Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal has ordered a thorough investigation on the alleged involvement of six policemen in various forms of election irregularities and fraud in Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay. Aside from the five policemen, Caringal also ordered his men to check on the reported presence of Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels who are allegedly working with a politician and conducting atrocities in Sibugay. Caringal's order for investigation of the six policemen came after Mrs. Eva Sereno Flores who is running for mayor under the KAMPI banner in Olutanga wrote a letter to Atty. Helen Aguila Flores, regional director of the Commission on Election, accusing the five policemen of alleged election irregularities. Flores forwarded the letter to the police regional director for investigation. The mayoralty aspirant also requested Flores to relieve the five policemen. "Just like in the past May 2004 election, Olutanga at present is experiencing the same ways of terroristic activities thru the visibility of armed group operating along the coastal areas which threaten the security not only to the Olutanga people but most especially to the more than 3,000 fishermen as principal targets of extortion, coercion, and other forms of threats and intimidation. These practices are due to the negotiation of the incumbent politicians in the island with the MILF lost command just to gain political leverage," said the mayoralty,, aspirant in her letter to Any. Flores. The mayoralty aspirant also complained about the presence of some civilians, barangay officials and some members of the PNP who publicly display their guns in total disregard of the Comelec election gun ban. "In the same way, the carrying of firearms in spite of the Comelec election gunban by some civilians, barangay officials and members of the PNP locally assigned thereat who publicly display loyalty/ support and were same policemen involved in open ballots -and other related fraud activities during the May 2004 election in favor of the incumbent mayor Joel Caputolan which greatly demoralized the trust and confidence of the remaining good people of Olutanga, to the men in uniform especially the PNP These also affect my credibility as a political candidate being trusted by the people who long for total positive change, a Tree, clean, peaceful, honest, orderly and credible election through fair election practices People made me feel helpless if I take no action about these And thus, I will not allow this to spill into a full-blown conflict among us, the local candidates and (he people themselves," the mayoralty aspirant said in the letter In addition, she asked the Atty. Flores to take legal action against Olutanga ABC president Manuel Rndino of Barangay Esperanza, Barangay Chairman Lorenzo Siso of Calais and Ernesto Ganados of Sta Maria for allegedly campaigning on stage in favor of Caputolan and their carrying of firearms in public during barangay rallies. — Dan Toribio Jr.
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