FARINAS CAMP. Former Laoag mayor Roger Farinas (middle) and sons Raffy and Roger John hold a press conference on Wednesday (April 27, 2022) to present their side on the scuffle with a rival camp. Laoag City is being considered an election area of concern due to reported harassment of rival candidates. (Photo by Leilanie G. Adriano)
LAOAG CITY – Former Laoag City mayor Roger Fariñas said Tuesday's scuffle between their party and their rival's stemmed from his attempt to expose alleged vote buying by the latter' camp.
In a press conference at the Java Hotel on Wednesday, Fariñas denied barging into the Megapolitan Builders, a private property owned by neophyte Laoag council candidate Bryan Alcid, during an event on Tuesday.
Videos earlier circulated showing Roger's son, Raffy, hitting Alcid's wife Jojami during the commotion.
The Alcids claimed two others were hurt in the incident, alleging Fariñas suddenly barged into their property and tried "grabbing" documents from them without their permission.
Recounting his version of the incident, Roger said they were doing house-to-house campaigning in the area with the team of 1st District Rep. Ria Christina Fariñas when he heard someone nearby say the Alcids were calling on people to proceed to their headquarters to get money in exchange for their votes for their ally Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos.
Sandro is the son of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and is running against Ria Cristina.
Wishing to check on the alleged vote buying, Roger said he and two other companions went to the Alcids' property and found a long queue of people who were having their names listed on a piece of paper.
With his phone on hand, Fariñas said he took videos as he entered the property. But as he was leaving, Roger said a woman who happened to be Alcid’s wife, Jojami, blocked the exit, triggering the commotion.
“They tried to hold me from going out of the gate and they pulled me back inside,” said Roger, adding that they have a video of the incident, including the supposed attempt to detain him.
Roger's son, Raffy, said upon seeing his father being blocked and dragged back inside, his instinct to help his dad kicked in so he attempted to get their party out of the property immediately.
This, the Fariñas camp said, was what was caught on camera showing a woman being pushed while Roger was going out of the door.
The Alcids had already denied the Fariñas' vote buying claims.
Hours after the scuffle at the Alcids' property, another commotion happened between Roger and Laoag City Vice Mayor Vicentito Lazo, who is running for mayor under Team Marcos, under which Bryan Alcid is also running.
Guns, goons
In the same press conference, another Fariñas son, Roger John, who is running for reelection in the city council, said he received a call from his family that his father was being followed by Lazo’s vehicle.
Roger John said he rushed to the area and saw armed civilians behind Lazo during the commotion.
“They have guns and we only have a gun tucker,” said the younger Fariñas as he identified one of the alleged armed men in a light shirt as retired general Moro Virgilio Lazo, older brother of the vice mayor.
“The truth will eventually come out and it will always prevail,” Roger John said.
The younger Fariñas alleged the armed men even cocked their gun in front of his father despite the presence of police officers trying to pacify the involved parties.
As of this posting, the Fariñas camp said it is now preparing charges against Lazo’s camp.
When sought for comment, Lazo denied allegations of hiring goons for the campaign.
But Roger John maintained he has clear video footage to back up his claims.
The younger Fariñas also appealed to members of the Philippine National Police to be non-partisan during the election period. (PNA)
