Pulupandan residents facing warrants of arrest for grave threats charges filed by supporters of mayor-elect Magdaleno Peña tried to seek refuge at the provincial Capitol and with the Diocese of Bacolod in Bacolod City but decided to surrender to the Negros Occidental Provincial Command late yesterday afternoon.

The residents, who asked not be identified, said they were not evading the warrants of arrest but they wanted to be detained at the NOPPO in Bacolod City, and not at the Pulupandan jail, out of fear.

The Pulupandan residents numbering about 60 named in the 187 issued warrants of arrest, decided to voluntary surrender at the NOPPO headquarters in Bacolod City.

They were accompanied by Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, director of the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center, who turned them over to Supt. Plomar Natuel, deputy police provincial director.

But when they heard the police tell them that they would have to be turned over to the Pulupandan police jail as soon as possible, many of the 60, with their children and bags in tow, decided against voluntarily surrendering and left.

As of press time last night only about seven pushed through with the voluntary surrender, among them Barangay Captain Lowell del Carmen, remained at the NOPPO.

Of the 187 issued warrants of arrest, four are barangay captains.

On Thursday barangay captains Renato Dioso and Cristina Malunes, and civilian Joemarie Dalumpines were arrested by the police and jailed.

A fourth barangay captain Doroteo Vellejo of Barangay Canjusa is still at large.

Judge Manuel Limsiaco of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Valladolid-San Enrique-Pulupandan has issued five warrants of arrests against each of the 187 based on five separate grave threats complaints filed by supporters of Peña against them.

Peña has tagged the 187 as supporters of Samson Mondia, his defeated opponent for mayor of Pulupandan.

Mondia had posted bail of P6,000 for each of the accused for the first warrant of arrest issued before the elections.

With four more warrants of arrest out each of the accused need P24,000 each to post bail, Peña said.

The complaints were filed against the 187 for grave threats allegedly committed against 26 Peña supporters when they took over the house of Councilor Hedy Gonzales who was evicted by the court from her home before the May 14 polls.

It was alleged that Mondia supporters threw stones and fired guns at the house the 26 had occupied.

The accused, who asked not to be identified, yesterday denied the charges. Some said they were not even at the scene of the incident they were accused of having participated in.

Some of them said they had hoped that since the elections were over, Peña would not pursue the charges against them.

They said they had left Pulupandan to seek help elsewhere after three of their co-accused were arrested Thursday.

Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Gov. Joseph Marañon, said the provincial government provided food, needed medicine and shelter to the Pulupandan residents at the Multi-Purpose Activity Center in Bacolod City Thursday evening for humanitarian reasons, after the Church referred them to the Capitol.

As to the legal process, Valencia said he suggested to the lawyers of the Pulupandan residents that they act swiftly on whatever remedies are available so they can avoid being detained.

If you have 187 detainees where will the Pulupandan police put them because they cannot fit in the town jail, and who will feed them there? Valencia asked.

"We were informed that the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center has provided legal assistance to the Pulupandan residents," Valencia said.

"We were also informed that the lawyers of the Pulupandan residents were filing a motion for the lifting of the warrants," Valencia said.

The Pulupandan residents yesterday transferred from the Capitol to the Sacred Heart Seminary in Bacolod City and, after a meeting, decided to proceed to the NOPPO. Yesterday Peña said the wanted Pulupandan residents should be brought to the Mondia residence so they can be fed there.

Samson Mondia should provide bail for his 187 supporters since they acted on his orders, Peña alleged. "This shows that it does not pay to fight and ambush Voldemort," he said.

Peña likes to refer to himself as Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard with seemingly unmatched power in the Harry Potter series.

On May 30 Peña was ambushed in Pulupandan but he survived with minor injuries. Two of his companions were killed.

The New People's Army has claimed responsibility for the ambush but Peña insists Mondia was involved. Mondia has denied participation in the ambush.*CPG

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