No taker for kapitan job in San Carlos
“WHO ME? NOT ME!”
SAN CARLOS CITY–With a history of five murdered kapitans in Barangay Mestizo Norte here, the next in line for the job has refused to take on the position.
The barangay’s second ranking councilman is supposed to assume as chairman following the slaying on October 20 of the number one councilman who, in turn, took over after the elected kapitan was also killed just a few days after assuming office.
Councilman Oscar Austria, who got the second highest vote in the October election, has been ordered by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to assume as chairman following the death of Barangay Chairman Abraham de la Cruz who was shot by assassins in broad daylight in Sitio Pao within Barangay Mestizo Norte.
Austria responded that he is not interested to take the post as he does not want to risk ending up like De La Cruz and before him, the elected Chairman Alberto Manzon.
The DILG gave an ultimatum to Austria to succeed the post as required by the law, otherwise he will be removed from public office and banned in future barangay polls.
Before Manzon was stabbed to death by his own barangay treasurer following an altercation inside the Barangay Hall days after he assumed the post in October, the previous chairman, Carmelita Manzon Torre, died after she was shot during a school’s closing ceremonies in April 2010.
Two other barangay kapitans of Mestizo Norte were slain during their respective terms before Torre.
Meanwhile, tension remains high within the barangay even as one of the suspects in Dela Cruz’s killing has been arrested and is now behind bars awaiting trial.
The suspect, Ramon Yanes, 48, an alleged member of a gun-for-hire syndicate, was arrested in his home few hours after the slaying of De La Cruz but denied his involvement in the case.
He was charged with illegal possession of firearms as one Caliber 45 pistol, two magazines of Cal. 45 with seven live ammunition, nine ammunition for Cal, M-14 rifle, and a camouflage uniform were found in his possession.
A Special Investigation Task Force “De la Cruz” was formed by the Pangasinan Police on order of Police Regional Director Franklin Bucayo.
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