The Northern Negros Alliance of Human Rights Advocates yesterday denied reports of a “reign of fear” in Escalante City and that it is the squabble among local politicians that gives the impression that the city is having peace and order problems.

In a press conference, Bernardino Patigas of NNAHRA said Vice Mayor Santiago Barcelona should give Mayor Melecio Yap a chance to govern Escalante peacefully instead of creating scenarios to pre-condition the minds of the people.

“If given a chance, the Yap administration can equal if not surpass the accomplishments of the previous leadership,” Patigas said.

He added that the situation in Escalante can change if the city is placed under military control as requested by Barcelona from Gov. Joseph Marañon.

Cases of human rights violations can escalate if the Army is deployed in the city and given police powers, Patigas said.

Barcelona said Patigas is obviously interpreting the series of incidents in Escalante from a different perspective.

He said it would be too much of a coincidence and misfortune that the victims in a series of violence in Escalante are associated with him, adding that Patigas could be using his links with the cause-oriented groups such as the NAHRA to promote his own “mind conditioning” tactics.

Barcelona said it was Patigas who claimed at the funeral house the body of one of the men who attacked the home of Barangay Libertad barangay captain Fernando Demalerio.

In defense of Yap , Patigas said the problem in Escalante is not peace and order nor lack of infrastructure but poverty and malnutrition.

Patigas said that majority of the school children in Escalante are malnourished and the local government should focus its effort in addressing this problem. *NAB

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