A former member of the technical staff of congressional candidate Renecito Novero said he will file serious physical injuries and grave coercion charges against the supporters of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella who allegedly mauled him at noontime yesterday outside Police Precinct 8 in Bacolod City.

Percival de la Cruz, who is now assigned to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, said he identified two of the five men, as rebel returnees and alleged that they were ordered by Puentevella's media liaison, Eric Tenerife. This was denied by Tenerife, who said he was in front of the desk officer when the incident happened.

De la Cruz said he was on his way home to Brgy. Pahanocoy when he saw many people outside the police station so he decided to stop and to find out what was going on. He said that when he alighted from his vehicle, Tenerife met him and pointed to him as a staff member of Novero. When he stepped back, he was mauled by about five persons, he said.

But Tenerife said that when De la Cruz arrived, he pushed away their camera and asked him what is the problem.

He said a barangay kagawad of Brgy. Singcang endorsed to Police Precinct 8 "black propaganda" materials and a tape-recorded message confiscated from five supporters of Novero who rode a jeepney which was out-of-route. He said it is clear that Novero is behind the black propaganda against Puentevella.

The confiscated materials contain the alleged irregularities committed by Puentevella. It is an acronym of the issues against Puentevella in a printed hand-out entitled "BALDOG".

"BALDOG" is defined to stand for B - Basoc Fund/2005 SEA Games Scam; B - Asphalt Projects Scam; L - Liquid Fertilizer Scam; D - DSWD Fund Scam; O - Overpriced Computers Information Technology (IT) Projects Scam; and G - Got rich/Unexplained Wealth Scam.

It also lists such issues that have been raised against Puentevella, like his alleged annual Wimbledon England Trips, being the most-travelled congressman using the people's money; being an author of Con-Ass, mansions, luxury vehicles, ghost draining and dredging projects, and ghost rehabilitation of the Paglaum Sports Complex among others.

The BALDOG paper also lists down the alleged real estate properties of the congressman and the types and plate numbers of his alleged vehicles.

Novero, however, said the materials cannot be considered black propaganda since they carry legitimate and genuine issues that are not fabricated.

Tenerife also accused De la Cruz of driving without a license and using a government vehicle without a plate number, while he was on leave. He also said the vehicle driven by De la Cruz is not registered so he ordered the Land Transportation Office to have it impounded.

Tenerife accused Novero of grave abuse of authority.

De la Cruz said the registration of the Nissan Sentra is still under process. He also reported that he discovered his wallet missing after the incident. He said it contained his driver's license, GSIS and City Hall ID's including P3,500 in cash.

He also said Tenerife placed the materials they confiscated inside his vehicle and asked a TV station to take footages to mislead the people.

He also said Tenerife refused to have the names of the persons who mauled him recorded in the police blotter.*CGS

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