Vice mayor accused of threatening nephew

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A local town official in Negros Occidental was accused of threatening his nephew last week.

Police Captain Hancel Lumandaz, chief of Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station, said 32-year-old Diten Saber reported to the police that he was allegedly threatened by Vice Mayor Ian Adrian Villaflor in front of a convenience store at Barangay 5 Poblacion last Oct 23.

Based on a blotter report from the police station, Saber alleged that Villaflor called his attention, sat beside him, and asked him why he was ignoring him.

“Ngaa wala ka nagasapak sa akon? Tag-iya ka lang ka beauty salon. Ako ang vice mayor ka Magallon (Moises Padilla’s old name), tanan nga tawo nagaduko sa akon, ikaw ya wala gasapak. Naga-init gid ulo ko sa imo,” Saber stated in his blotter report.

Saber also alleged that the vice mayor threatened to kill him by pointing a gun at him.

Lumandaz said the vice mayor was allegedly drunk when the incident happened. However, no witnesses can testify to Saber’s claims.

He said Saber just reported the incident for record purposes and he is not willing to pursue a criminal complaint against his uncle.

In a phone interview yesterday, Villaflor denied the allegations against him, claiming that “no commotion or misunderstanding happened between them that night.”

Villaflor said he was drinking with some men after giving food to some children when he jokingly approached his nephew.

“I was just joking when I approached to talk to him. I did not threaten him even if you check the closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage of the convenience store,” he added.

““How can I threaten him with a gun since there are lots of people and even children at the store? I did not expect he would take it seriously,” the vice mayor said, who also admitted that he was having a drinking session there, but claimed that his alcohol intake was manageable.

The vice mayor claimed that the incident was politically-motivated since Saber’s companion was identified to have been an ally of an opponent in politics.

“We already settled it. I even went to his house and initiated to talk to him to clarify the alleged misunderstanding between us. We’re okay,” Villaflor said.