Road closure isolates 3 hinterland brgys in Maasin, Iloilo
Residents of three hinterland barangays of Maasin, Iloilo have been isolated from the town proper after two separate roads leading to the said barangays were closed by a mayoralty candidate.
The residents claimed that the act was a form of harassment as they are identified not to be supportive of the said politician.
Claiming to be the owner of the property where the two roads traverse, mayoralty candidate Benigno “Brad” Malaga ordered his men to block the roads leading to barangays Panalian, Ubian and Kabangkalan with bamboos and boulders of soil last Tuesday, May 4.
The two blockades with markings “private property, no trespassing” placed at the vicinity of Brgy. Layog, which is around 9 kilometers from the town proper, hindered vehicles from entering the three barangays.
Officials and residents of barangays Layog, Panalian, Ubian and Kabangkalan yesterday sought the help of Mayor Mariano “Jing” Malones Jr. to have the blockades removed as it caused them so much difficulty.
The barangay officials claimed that Malaga closed the road after only a few of their residents attended his political caucus recently.
Mayor Malones referred the complaint of the residents to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) which is in charge of matters pertaining to political conflicts.
Newly assigned municipal election officer Mildred Sapul accompanied by the police and members of the media immediately went to the area to see for herself the subject of the complaint.
Upon seeing the area, Sapul quickly informed the Comelec provincial office of the situation. She said there is a need for the problem to be resolved immediately as it could hamper the delivery of official ballots and Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in the three barangays.
Maasin police chief Insp. Romeo Villasis told the media that they confronted Malaga about the blocking of the road but the latter merely responded by saying “akon ni di ya propyedad, pasaka lang kaso ang may reklamo (this is my property, just sue me).”
Maasin Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president David Maculas, who is also the punong barangay of Brgy. Layog, appealed to Malaga to spare them from his political harassments.
He said the road has been in existence for over 30 years and thousands of people from the three hinterland barangays are affected with the non-entry of vehicles in the area.
“Mabudlay gid para sa amun pumuluyo. Pila ka kilometro ang ila ginalakat para lang makalab-ot sa Brgy. Layog kun sa diin makasakay sila sa jeep ukon motorsiklo. Labi pa gid nga mabudlay kon may emerhensiya,” Maculas told members of the media.
Mayoralty candidate Board Member Mariano Malones Sr. called on the Comelec to solve the problem the soonest possible time since the people in the affected barangays are suffering.
“The blocking of the road could also hamper the conduct of elections on Monday,” Malones added.
