Police hold 26 Peña allies,
jail cop, gun raps poised
BY CARLA GOMEZ

PULUPANDAN -- The police Saturday brought in for questioning 26 supporters of Pulupandan mayoralty candidate Magdaleno Peña who were found in a house from which gunfire was heard in Barangay Zone 6 here, while raps for illegal possession of a firearm will be filed against a policeman.

This was disclosed yesterday by Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, Negros Occidental police director, who said he ordered SPO1 Wennie Espinosa to be jailed and for charges of illegal possession of a firearm to be filed against him.

Espinosa was found with a firearm not issued to him in the house of Dr. Hedy Gonzales, a Pulupandan councilor, and with supporters of Peña in violation of his warning to policemen to stay away from politics, Franco said.

PULUPANDAN -- The family of Magdaleno "Magsi" Peña and his former live-in partner Saturday aired their support for the mayoralty bid of Samson Mondia and the people who are angry at his moves to evict them from their houses.

Peña's mother, Lina, brother Bonifacio and former live-in partner Plinky Recto arrived as Pulupandan residents, who booed his 26 supporters brought in for questioning, gathered in front of the Pulupandan police station.

They said they were batting for the mayoralty bid of Mondia against Magdaleno, and were there to show support for the people. They were later joined by another relative, Gretchen Cojuangco, wife of business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco, and were cheered by residents gathered outside the police station.

CEBU CITY -- An official of the Commission on Elections has alerted voters and election personnel to be on guard for election cheating using high-tech gadgets like mobile phones equipped with cameras.

Lionel Castillano, legal officer of the Comelec in Central Visayas, said voters who will sell their votes could use camera-equipped cell phones in taking pictures or video clips of the filled-up ballot and showing these as proof of whom they voted for to the vote-buyer. But Castillano said they cannot stop any voter from bringing a cell phone when he or she votes on May 14.