Cagayan cases start to pile up vs political clan

The Cagayan legal office is processing up to 15 complaints of alleged abusive behavior and harassment against members of the influential Mamba family during the recent midterm elections.

In a telephone interview from Tuguegarao City, lawyer Minihaha Liggayu, the province’s legal officer, said the alleged harassment took place during the campaign and on May 13, Election Day.

Liggayu said she could not discuss details about the complaints until her office files the charges in court.

According to her, she was present at a recent gathering of civic leaders who appealed for Malacañang’s intervention

owing to alleged political harassment they had suffered from a political family.

The families of Secretary Manuel Mamba, presidential liaison on political affairs, and of Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio have waged a public feud for decades.

On May 13, Mamba accused Antonio of firing at his convoy as it passed through Alcala town. But Antonio denied the allegation.

Chief Superintendent Rodrigo de Gracia, Cagayan Valley police director, issued a sketchy report on the incident, based on a text message sent to him by the Alcala police, which did not identify Antonio.

“On May 13, 2013, at about 2 p.m., a shooting incident transpired at Centro Norte [village in] Alcala, Cagayan, wherein the victim was Secretary Manuel Mamba while the suspect[s] was/were still unidentified,” the report said.

In a statement, Liggayu said “we will file complaints in the proper forum.”

“It is our goal to help these people who, despite knowledge of repercussions and reprisals, have been strong and fearless enough to come out and speak against those who did them wrong,” Liggayu said.

Manuel and William Mamba were named respondents, along with their men, in the 2009 torture case of four minors—Leomar Bueno, Lorenzo Haber and brothers Robin and Raymund Rodriguez.

In 2010, the Court of Appeals issued a Writ of Amparo in favor of the four and their families. Inquirer Northern Luzon