Rivalry heats up in Ilocos Norte

May 5, 2022 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (May 5, 2022)—Political rivalry in the northernmost province— Ilocos Norte—has heated up to the homestretch of the campaign for Monday’s elections.
Even incumbent Ilocos Norte District lawmaker and deputy majority floor leader Ria Fariñas is crying foul over harassments on their supporters all over the province peaking into actual violence in the past weeks.
Rep. Fariñas, pitted against presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos’ son Sandro in the first district legislative race in Ilocos Norte said,  their supporters are being subjected into various kinds of harassments and threatening actions by their rivals including a supposedly neutral police.
“Hinihingi natin sa kapulisan at mga katunggali natin sa politika ng isang malinis at mapayapa na eleksyon,” the lady lawmaker who is a daughter of gubernatorial bet and former lawmaker and Governor Rodolfo Fariñas.
The elder Fariñas is pitted against Marcos Jr.’s nephew and Senator Imee Marcos’ son Matthew Manotoc, while his brother— former Laoag City mayor Roger is pitted against Marcos’ ally incumbent Laoag City Vice Mayor Vicentito Lazo and another Marcos clan member Michael Keon in the capital’s mayoral race.
Rep. Fariñas cited that “inimbitahan tayo ng Philippine National Police (PNP) Ilocos Norte bago mag simula ang kampanya, sa isang Peace Covenant para sa isang mapayapa at malinis na 2022 eleksyon, subalit ito ay hindi naisakatuparan dahil sa sunod sunod na police harassment at mga pribado na armadong mga tao na tuloy tuloy na inaapi at tinatakot ang ating mga supporters dito sa Ilocos Norte.”
Three weeks ago, at least three search warrants have been issued by a La Union court against political leaders and supporters of the Fariñases, which former Gov. and House majority floor leader Rodolfo believed, “were based on fabricated lies on drug and firearms possession to harass them”.  Nothing
came out from the searches, insisted the elder Fariñas, a seasoned lawyer himself, except of an alleged incident in  Piddig town where supposed masked armed men barged into a coordinator-leader of the younger Fariñas and allegedly planted a grenade and a short firearm.
“Sabay sabay na Search Warrants ang kanilang inilunsad at ikinulong nila ang iba nating mga supporters at dahil sa hindi naman makatao at makatarungan na alegasyon,” the lady lawmaker said.
Even before the “search warrant spree”,  the elder Fariñas complained that policemen several weeks before the local campaign period set up checkpoints surrounding their house at barangay Barit in Laoag City.  He sensed ‘it was the start of constricting their movements’.  He believed the local police have been influenced by an already retired police official kin of one mayoral bet in Laoag City.
The same former police official was recorded over a video and strewn over at Facebook pulling out a pistol during a supposed physical confrontation between mayoral foes Roger Fariñas and Vice Mayor Lazo two weeks ago.
On May 1,  protesters, mostly supporters of the Fariñases fuming on the harassments and alleged inaction of the police against political violence, marched in Laoag City calling for an end to the terror being waged in the province.

Artemio A. Dumlao