For lack of factual and legal basis, Jovim Entila, counsel of Samson Mondia, yesterday asked the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss the case filed against his client by Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña in relation to his May 30, 2007 ambush.

  The prosecutor’s office received yesterday the reply-affidavit of Mondia where he denied involvement in the ambush and challenged Peña to support his accusations with solid evidence.

  In his affidavit, Mondia said he is a man of peace and harbors no ill-will towards any one and  Peña has nothing to fear from him as he is not engaged in any criminal activity.

  If he (Peña) fears for his life, it is because he knows that he had enraged a lot of people whom he ejected from their landholdings, Mondia said in his affidavit.

  He also denied the mayor’s accusation that the Mondia family is a known supporter of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army and linking him to the movement through Martin Mata is a desperate effort to find him liable for a crime he have not committed or had any participation.

  Samson said he never hired Mata as his security officer when he ran against Peña in last year’s election and their family has not known the man before March 2007 when a political supporter introduced him to his brother, Luis, who allowed Mata to join his (Samson’s) campaign sorties.

  Meanwhile, Peña said that Mata’s alliances with the NPA is public knowledge and in admitting that it was Luis who allowed Mata to join in their campaign sorties, Samson has just transfered all the blame to his brother.

  The mayor added that contrary to Samson’s statement that he fears for his life, he considers fear as a commodity that he can not afford.

  Peña maintained that the Mondia’s were not able to accept the fact that they “miserably lost” against him in the election in Pulupandan despite having the sympathies of his mother, siblings, and former girlfriend.

He is doing well in his duties as the mayor of Pulupandan and he was able to cleanse the town of illegal activities, Peña also said.*NAB

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