Sherwin Gatchalian warns brother of ‘election-related violence’

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (left) and Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian (File photos from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday said he had cautioned his younger brother, Valenzuela City Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian, about election-related violence following the killing of Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe.

The younger Gatchalian, who is 39, is running for reelection in May 2019.

“Over the weekend kasama ko yung kapatid kong mayor. Of course, bilang kapatid nasabihan ko sa kanya mag-ingat dahil ang local election very personal yan,” the 44-year-old senator said in an interview over AM radio station DWIZ.

[Over the weekened I was with my brother who’s a mayor. Of course, as a brother I told him to be careful, because the local election is very personal.]

This was after the Philippine National Police (PNP) pinpointed Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the one who ordered the assassination of Batocabe, his rival for the mayoralty.

READ: PNP: Daraga mayor ordered Batocabe slay

“Man to man yung botohan. Madalas yung personal alitan, personal yung away. Dito pumapasok yung pagpatay at ganitong election-related violence,” the senator said.

[The voting is man to man. Often the quarrel is personal. That’s where it could lead to killing and election-related violence.]

The senator also raised his concerns about making arrests and the process of buying and registering firearms.

“Importante rin tingnan natin kung bakit yung gun for hire hindi nahuhuli. Mabuti yung kay Congressman Batocabe nagkaroon ng immediate result,” he said.

[It’s important for us to look why the gun for hire could not be caught. It’s good that the case of Congressman Batocabe has an immediate result.]

“Maraming pagpatay na hindi na-reresolve. Dito talaga natin tingnan yung proseso ng pagrehistro ng baril yung proseso ng pagbibili ng baril. Hindi matatanggal itong gun for hire kung hindi natin maaayos yung registration ng mga baril dito sa bansa dahil ang daming loose firearms,” he added.

[Many killings are not resolved. That’s why we should look into the process of registering and buyiing firearms. We can’t eliminate guns for hire if we can’t fix the registration of guns because we have a lot of loose firearms.] /atm