Frenzy up on 'Hello Garci,' not rebel presence in Iloilo brgys
'We have other priorities,' liga prexy says

By Florence F. Hibionada

Folks throughout Iloilo's 42 towns and one component city are in a frenzy with just about daily huddles here and there. Yet it has nothing to do with the gnawing concern of reported rebel hit-squad in town for planned assasination plots. Nor was it about student assasins and new faces said to be immersed in the community to sow terror and develop mass-base in Iloilo barangays.

What it is, according to Board Member Angelo Briones, provincial federation president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, is the hulaballoo created by the now infamous "Hello Garci" alleged recording of the President's conversation with a top COMELEC commissioner.

Briones' statement came amidst questions raised on the barangays' preparedness and awareness on the rebel-hit squad report. According to said liga president, their group has other priorities with the supposed intelligence report as picked up by media nothing but "half-truths, half-exaggerations."

"I think a scenario is being created to divert the attention of the people here, divert from the real issues hounding the present Arroyo administration. Plus the barangays have other issues to worry really like the October barangay election which I think can really happen," Briones said in a The News Today interview.

Nevertheless, in any eventuality, Briones assured that Iloilo barangays can still gather its 'forces' and face up to the situation with the community defense plan long in place.

"From my end, it is given already how our barangay officials have been repeatedly told and taught the importance of keeping and maintaining a log book. Such will keep track of the new faces and new arrivals. So rebel hit-squad report or not, we have our precautionary measures there," he continued while adding in jest, " pero mas gina-istoryahan gid iya ang "hello Garci"ah ( but people talk more about the "hello Garci) ."

Asked on any outside tips or independent information gathered by his office regarding the alleged rebel hit-squad arrival in Iloilo, Briones said none came nor was even heard of during his regular rounds. As such, he could not validate the supposed intelligence report as of yet.

The arrivals of student assasins was reported to be part of the quarterly accomplishment envisioned by communist rebel groups under its Panay hierarchy. Top police and military officials has since called for vigilance in the barangays calling for community support especially reporting to authorities any suspicious actions in their area. Repeated calls for action was also appealed for in cases where new arrivals or new faces are noticed.

"Granting nga may ara, ang awareness sang mga pumuluyo baskug na gid man so we just reiterate the call for them to go through the right person, our barangay officials and the authorities," Briones ended.