SAN JORGE, Samar – By
declaring his interest to run for the congressional seat in next
year’s elections, the Chief Executive of this battled municipality is
now experiencing an avalanche of “black propaganda” instigated by his
political nemesis in Samar’s first district.
But Mayor Joseph
“Jojo” V. Grey (Liberal Party) disclosed he is unabated by the present
propaganda war and death threats being cooked by his detractors saying
“I am transparent in my governance and ready to face any investigation
by the public and or in courts that may arise anytime.”
Grey came out and
broke his silence when he no longer bears the serious and scandalous
accusations against him and members of his family. In a press
conference held recently, he showed evidences hinting among others
that all charges filed against him was all “baseless and merely
fabricated” by his opponents.
For one, Grey said,
his political foes are herding the relatives of the killing victims in
the first district and convinced them to file murder charges against
him, “as if ako ang nagpapatay sa mga taong ito, without them knowing
it that they are being fooled and used by my political nemesis to
advance their personal ploy against me”, he said.
At present, two murder
cases were filed before the courts in Calbayog City against Mayor Grey
last month, and reportedly, an upcoming raps are still being cooked
awaiting the nod of the families of the killing victims in the first
district of Samar.
The first murder rap
was the killing of Rolando Diocton an employee of the Department of
Agriculture in this town, who was shot in front of his house by two
unidentified assailant last October 3, 2005.
In the affidavit of
Leah Diocton, the victim’s wife, it was Grey, his son Francis and two
others were named as respondents of the murder rap, but Grey said,
“Leah Diocton was picked-up by uniformed men at her residence and
executed an affidavit of complaint last October 3, 2006. The said
affidavit was received by the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on
October 4, 2006 and a subpoena against me and my co-respondents was
issued October 5, 2006.”
“You see, how the
papers move so fast? … I am very sure that this has something to do
with politics. I just feel pity to those victims, they are victims of
double jeopardy, and they did not know it,” Grey stressed.
The second murder raps
filed against him was the killing of Danilo Adona alyas “wangbu”, a
mentally ill supporter of Mayor Grey which was found dead in a bridge
between Gandara and Sta, Margarita towns.
“This is too much,
pati ba naman pagpatay sa sarili kong mga supporters sakin
ibenebentang. But they should be ready, once I will cleared for these
accusations, I will retaliate by also filing a case against them for
destroying my integrity,” Grey said.
Prior to this, a
4-page computerized letter with heading “Pagmata ngan Gius San
Jorgehanons” (Wake up and Move San Jorgehanons) circulated in the
different villages in the first district accusing Grey and his camp as
responsible to the series of alleged killings, drug dealings, among
others in the municipality of San Jorge.
The “open letter,”
which also accused Grey of supporting the New People’s Army by giving
money, medicines, rifles and ammunitions was said to be coming from
the San Jorge concerned citizens represented by a certain Arnel B.
Dela Cruz of Brgy. La Paz, of this town.
Last month, a
malicious tape containing some serious allegations against the mayor
and the town’s first family was publicly aired by men in uniform
during one of the regular barangay assemblies in the town villages.
In a document obtained
by this writer, the airing of that “propaganda tape” was confirmed by
the barangay officials and residents present during that said military
assembly.
Meanwhile, to dispel
speculations concerning his alleged involvement in the illegal drugs
and killings, Mayor Grey showed a certification coming from the
Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) clearing him of any
involvement in any matter concerning drugs, a “no criminal record”
clearance released by the NBI central office hinting his innocence and
the barangay certification of the non-existence of certain Arnel Dela
Cruz in La Paz, in support to his claim that he is telling the truth
before the public.
When asked who are
behind this propaganda, the mayor said: “The black propaganda is a
delusive effort by the officers of men in uniform based in San Jorge
who are in cahoots with strong politicians in Samar, who seemed
unhappy and afraid of my abjuration to the traditional politics of
patronage, corruption and terrorism which sank our province to an
abject poverty,” Mayor Grey disclosed.
