Nacar denounces charges against him; claims he's the victim

DASOL, Pangasinan -- Mayor Noel Nacar of this town belied news reports he ordered his aides to attack and beat up four supporters of rival Erick Versoza who allegedly blocked the mayor’s vehicle along a road here. In a press conference last April 9, the mayor asserted that he was the real victim of harassment in that incident.
Nacar said that he charged seven people- Roger Valderama, Arche Nomus, Robert Canilang, Robert Naranja, Pedro Balatico, Regemio Banigon, and Roger Sison –all identified supporters of Verzosa, for grave coercion and direct assault of a person in authority as a result of the incident on April 1 where the respondents in their motorcycles blocked the path of the car the mayor was riding. In his affidavit, Nacar narrated events that nearly caused a physical commotion. He said that in the morning of April 1, his party had just started on a house-to-house campaign in Brgy. Malimpin when his aides noticed that unidentified men in motorcycle convoy were trailing them.
Later, while having a meeting at the Malimpin Barangay Hall, Nacar’s aides again saw the riders roving around the area. Owing to the incidents, with Vice Mayor Manuelo Rivera, Councilor Migueltio Nono and his driver, Nacar decided to adjourn the meeting after Rivera’s wife advised the Vice Mayor that motorcycle riders were roaming in their vicinity.
However, on their way home, just a few meters away from the Brgy. Hall, Nacar said “two motorcycles who belonged to the same group tried to block our way but later on moved and a few meters thereafter, the same motorcycles suddenly stopped and I pulled the steering wheel from my driver to evade a possible collision with the two motorcycles.” Nacar said he then got off the car and asked the riders why they were blocking his vehicle. “Both driver did not answer and instead were making faces and laugh laughed loudly for which I realized that it was a signal on their companions who were also on their motorcycles and as their companions were about to come near to us…persons who attended out meeting proceeded to us and sensing trouble may arise…I tried to pacify them and separated the group in motorcycles while Vice Mayor Rivera and Councilor Nono appealed to our supporters,” the mayor narrated.
He said he then called the police station “to avoid any untoward incident for which the police officers immediately arrived.” Nacar said that he requested from the Commission on Elections (ComElec) and Philippine National Police (PNP) for a meeting between him and Verzosa to settle the issue for which the authorities have agreed. Thus on April 3, a meeting and even a peace covenant signing was conducted. However, a day after the “peace talk,” Nacar said he was surprised that charges were filed against him by Robert Canilang, Roger Valderma, Archie Nomus, Robert Naranja and Pedro Balatico. Aside from Nacar, also named respondents in the complaint fildenieded April 8 for physical injuries, grave threats and malicious mischief were Engr. Amado Balaoing, Reynaldo Balaoing, Romeo Verzosa and Jesus Reyes. But Nacar denied all the allegations during the presscon. Mayor Nacar is the president of the Pangasinan Mayors’ League while Verzosa is the son of retired Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa.