Amid claims that he was pressured by lawyer Magdaleno Peña to seek the mayoralty post in Pulupandan, Crisanto "Sani" Mondia yesterday insisted that his move to run against Peña and Samson "Sammy" Mondia was a "personal decision".

"I deny the claims linking my candidacy to Peña. I decided on my own," Crisanto, 46, who had served as barangay captain of Pag-ayon in Pulupandan for seven years, told the DAILY STAR.

The brother of Pulupandan Mayor Luis Mondia, Samson said last night that his camp filed a disqualification case against Crisanto before the Commission on Elections yesterday. Crisanto claimed he is highly-qualified to run because he is a "Filipino citizen, can read and write and holds part-time jobs".

He also said that his nickname is "Sani" and not "Nonoy" as claimed by Samson.

Samson had earlier claimed that Crisanto's candidacy was meant to create confusion and invalidate his votes.

Crisanto said the rift between Samson and Peña may eventually work in his favor.

"The people of Pulupandan want change and I will be their alternative," Crisanto, who holds an accounting degree from the Paglaum State College, added.

Crisanto said he will try to solve the squatters' problem in Pulupandan and initiate programs that will spur economic growth in the town.

About 3,000 squatters are facing ejection in the town, after Peña decided to claim the land owned by members of his clan.

Meanwhile, a man who said he was one of the owners of parcels of land in Barangay Zone 1A in Pulupandan town yesterday said mayoralty candidate Samson Mondia threatened him at the Assessor's Office in the Municipal Hall.

Federico Feria Infante, who said he is the son and heir of the property of the late Julia Feria Infante, owner of one-sixth the land of family matriarch Celia Mapa-Feria, said the incident happened at about 10:45 a.m. yesterday.

The incident was recorded in a blotter report at the Pulupandan Municipal Police Station.

Mondia denied the claim, saying Infante merely made up the story. "That's his version," Mondia added.

Mondia said that even though Infante is one of the heirs of the Feria estate, Harriet Divino-Feria is the judicial administrator and the estate has yet to be divided.

"He (Infante) has no right (to the land)," Mondia said, claiming that Infante is pressuring the squatters in Zone 1A to support the candidacy of Peña. Mondia said residents and Brgy. Captain Pilon Española had sought his help in dealing with Infante.

But Infante said he is merely claiming the pieces of land he owns.

"I am just getting our land. I am a land owner and business manager," Infante said.

He also said that under Civil Code 487, he is fully authorized to file any ejection case being the heir to Julia Feria-Infante. * CPT

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