Cops defend arrest of mayoral bet’s driver for ‘illegal campaigning’ in Bulacan

The Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) on Thursday defended the arrest of a driver of a mayoral candidate in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.

“Lumalabas na kinukuwestyon ang naging aksyon ng inyong pambansang pulisya kung bakit natin siya hinuli noong mismong Araw ng Eleksyon,” PRO chief Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing.

(It appears that the actions of your national police are being questioned as to why we arrested him on Election Day.)

"Ito ay lantarang paglabag sa umiiral ng mga batas lalong-lalo sa illegal campaigning. Alam po natin na natapos ang pangangampanya noong May 10. Natapos yan at hindi na nga po pinapayagan,” she added.

(This is for the blatant violation of existing laws, especially regarding illegal campaigning. We know the campaigning ended on May 10. That is over and it is no longer allowed,” she added.

Based on a police report, 62-year-old Alphonse Abuan Troncosom, a driver of SJDM mayoral bet Atty. Earl Tan, was arrested on Election Day on Monday for alleged illegal campaigning.

The city police received a tip from a concerned citizen that a vehicle with Tan’s campaign poster was seen allegedly roaming near the polling center at Tungkong Mangga Elementary School and distributing food packs to voters.

The last day of the campaign period was on Saturday, May 10.

Police proceeded to the area and caught Troncosom in the act of distributing food packs, according to the police report. Due to this, authorities arrested the driver.

Tan criticized his driver’s arrest.

“Bawal na pala dito sa lungsod natin magmaneho ng ganitong sasakyan? Ano ang electioneering dyan? Naghahatid ng pagkain at tubig bawal?” Tan said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

(Is it illegal to drive a vehicle like this in our city? What electioneering? Delivering food and water is illegal?)

“Lahat ng sasakyan ng city government may name at mukha nyo, poste, pader, etc. Itong sasakyan ko privately owned ito, huhulihin niyo at poposasan? Anong kaso? Kung kaya niyo gawin ito sa driver ko at sasakyan ko, paano na lang sa mga ordinaryong tao?,” he added.

(All city government vehicles have your name and face, posts, walls, etc. This vehicle of mine is privately owned but you will make an arrest? What’s the case? If you can do this to my driver and my vehicle, how about ordinary people?) —RF, GMA Integrated News

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