Mayor orders probe on flyer throwing Incident; campaign manager says sorry

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Talisay City Mayor Neil Lizares said he ordered an investigation on the flyer-throwing incident that marred the caravan of former senator and presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Feb 23, 2022 while traversing the Talisay City highway.

“The City of Talisay will not tolerate this behavior and assures you all that necessary actions will be made after proper investigation,” Lizares said in a statement issued during the weekend.

Former governor Rafael Coscolluela, convenor of Negros for Leni movement, apologized to Marcos Jr. and his UniTeam for the heckling incident in Talisay City that involved Robredo supporters.

Coscolluella stressed that the heckling was not premeditated.

He said they do not encourage such behavior, “nor will we tolerate the same from among our ranks.”

“The rude behavior is not and will never be acceptable,” Lizares also said.

Lizares also said that “the action of one person does not define all Talisaynons. We cannot generalize and we have to understand where each one is coming from. But this is not to say that disrespect will be condoned.”

“While we have different political views and support different candidates, we make sure to exercise our right to choose responsibly. We always believe that our right ends when the right of others begin.”

Videos circulating in social media showed campaign flyers were thrown at the Marcos Jr., as he was trying to reach the hands of the people who were lined up along the highway of Talisay City, on Feb 23, during the UniTeam campaign sortie in Negros Occidental.

Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, an organizer of the UniTeam campaign sorties in Negros Occidental, came to the rescue of Marcos Jr., as he slammed the rudeness of some supporters of a presidential candidate.

Ferrer called on supporters of other presidential candidate to “educate their followers.”

“After all, after the election, we are still one as Negrosanons,” said Ferrer, who is married to Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (4th district, Negros Occ), a granddaughter of the late former Ambassador and Marcos crony Roberto Salas Benedicto.

Coscolluela said  they have consistently exhorted their volunteers to observe proper conduct during the campaign.

But he added that “it cannot be denied that partisan emotions can run high and result in confrontational actions – albeit done while exercising one’s freedom of speech – that are hateful, hurtful or uncalled for.”

“It is in this light that I express my deep remorse over what happened, even as I recognize the sentiments that fueled such emotions. I apologize to Mr. Marcos and his companions for the heckling, and I urge everyone to refrain from such actions for the duration of the campaign,” Coscolluela added.