Merrera to sue delos Angeles, 16 Kaps

THREAT: Former Barangay Liga President Arsenio Merrera 
(holding a microphone) of Binmaley, Pangasinan lectured fellow
 village chiefs about the illegality of their plan to call an election
 for the Liga ng mga Barangay in November 9.He
threatened to sue those who would not heed his
warning.

BINMALEY The   president of the league of barangay here said he would file a criminal case  against Bolago Chair Douglas delos Angeles and 17 other chairmen who convened a meeting last December 9 for the election of the league’s officers.

“I would leave to the prosecutor’s office what case to file against them,” Malindong Chair Arsenio Merrera said when asked what case he  would file against Angeles who is supported by 16 village chiefs.  Merrera  has 15 chairmen on his side.

He earlier said one of the cases he would file against delos Angeles nd the others  was criminal usurpation.

 Merrera said that the national league has revoked last December 13 the certification of recognition it gave to the group of delos Angeles after he personally complained at the league’s office in Manila.

He cited Section 1 of the Code that says the (league) president duly assisted by the government officer aforementioned shall notify, in writing, all the above concerned at least twenty-five (25) days before the scheduled election meeting on the exact date, time, place, and requirements of the said meeting.

Merrera accused the new League elected president Angeles and his 16 barangay chairmen of insisting that the December 4 meeting he called was above board.

“How can it be above board when those who attended it could not form a quorum,” he said.

Merrera, in a tension-filled assembly in November 9 lectured delos Angeles and his supporters on the provision of the Code and the legal consequences that await them and the supervising representatives from the Department of Interior and Local Government, Commission on Election, Department of Education, and others, who would transform the meeting into an election.

Merrera in that meeting banged the gavel on the table and told the attendees that he just adjourned the meeting.

But delos Angeles and the village chiefs pushed through with the election with delos Angeles  getting elected as president.

When asked on the comment of lawyer Manuel Manuel, the counsel of the Angeles and the 16 barangay chairmen, that he was stalling so he can retain his post as ex-officio councilor, Merrera retorted:

“I told them already before that I am not obsessed with the position we have to apply the rule of law. And whoever will win I am always willing to vacate this position.”

He explained that as acting league president what he was been doing was a call of duty.

“ If not, I will be prosecuted also for my failure to assume office– I don’t want to be prosecuted”.

Merrera is supported by Mayor Sam Rosario and Vice Mayor Pedro Merrera- his brother, while delos Angeles and his group are identified with losing mayoral candidate former mayor Lorenzo Cerezo.