Pulupandan town mayor-elect Magadaleno Peña yesterday vowed to continue his fight against the 3,000 residents who are squatting on his family's land, and with the 186 supporters of his contender, Samson Mondia, who are facing arrest warrants for grave threats and frustrated murder charges.

Hours after he was proclaimed by the Comelec as the new mayor of Pulupandan, Peña told the DAILY STAR that among his priorities for the town is to evict the squatters on his family's properties.

He also vowed to build a bigger jail that will serve the big number of people who are facing standing arrest warrants that stemmed from the alleged attacks by Mondia's supporters on his men last month.

Among those who have been ordered arrested are Pulupandan Barangay Captains Renato Dioso, Doroteo Vallejo and Lowell del Carmen, and Zone 5 barangay kagawad Ofelia Totoa.

Peña also said that he will file a motion for reconsideration on the order of Judge Manuel Limsiaco to release Mondia's 182 supporters who surrendered to the Pulupandan police Tuesday with their children.

Peña also said that he will seek the relief of Ariel Pico, the town police chief, and that he will file administrative and criminal charges against him.

He added that he will initiate the construction of a port in Pulupandan that "will come in handy to attract investors."

Peña also reiterated his promise of full employment to Pulupandan's residents which he said is one of the things that the townpeople are banking on when he wins.

"Thank you for (the voters') faith in my person, my family, and my vision. And to my contender's supporters, thank you, too for making this election interesting," Peña said.

PROCLAMATION

Peña got a 1,700 margin over his contender, Samson Mondia in the final Comelec vote tally and he was proclaimed at about 4 p.m. yesterday.

His running mate, Antonio Suatengco also prevailed over Julia Fernandez Jimeno in the vice mayoralty race.

Seven of the councilors on Peña's line-up also won seats in the town's sanggunian, leaving the remaining slot to Mondia's bet.

Mondia on the other hand, congratulated Peña and added that "God has better plans for us that's why He did not allow me to win."

Samson's brother, Luis, the present Pulupandan mayor, also conceded, saying that he "cannot do anything about it because it was the result (of the election)."

Around 10 a.m. yesterday, Samson's lawyers questioned the results from two precincts in Brgy. Ubay as he reportedly got zero votes in the two stations.

In a telephone interview with the DAILY STAR last night however, Samson said that they eventually decided to stop their protest on the ballot boxes because Peña "was still leading."

Peña, on the other hand, said that Samson should have instead protested why he did not win even in Zone 2 which is his home barangay and not over the results in Brgy. Ubay which is his bailwick.

He also said that issues of statistical improbability were unlikely in the seven voting precincts in Brgy. Ubay because even Samson's poll watchers did not protest during the canvassing and the watchers were not voters in the barangay.

FIFTY THOUSAND-PESO BONUS

Federico Malapitan, Peña's campaign coordinator, said yesterday that a P50,000 bonus will be given to the registered voters in the two precincts were Mondia got zero votes.

Peña however, said that although Mondia got zero votes in three precincts in Brgy. Ubay, his camp will not give the amount to the voters because the "bonus" was just Malapitan's proposal.

IOM REPORT

An International Observers Mission report on the conduct of Monday's polls said that Peña "was seen freely loitering and roaming around at Ubay Elementary School", noting that "candidates are barred 50 meters away from a polling center after they have voted."

The report also took notice of the barricades erected in Ubay where the Peña family's ancestral home is.

Peña said, however, that he just went to the school to cast his vote and because he was waiting for IOM members who want to interview him and that the barricades were built after Mondia's supporters trooped to their property three days before the elections.

Meanwhile, the 40 members of the 612nd Police Mobile Group detailed in Pulupandan to augment the town's police in peacekeeping during the elections have been ordered to pull out from the area.*PP

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