700 supporters of losing bet held after clash with police

TACLOBAN CITY—The police and military arrested at least 700 supporters of a defeated mayoral candidate of Baybay City in Leyte on Monday following a clash with policemen that left several people injured.

Supt. Carlito Gallardo, chief of the Baybay police, said at least 100 soldiers and policemen arrested the supporters of Marilou Galenzoga at around 3 a.m. after an eight-hour standoff.

Galenzoga has claimed she was cheated by Mayor Carmen Cari in the May polls.

Gallardo said Galenzoga and her supporters marched to City Hall for a rally at around 3 p.m. on Sunday. At least 33 policemen were there to keep the peace.

But Gallardo said the rally turned violent when Galenzoga’s supporters started throwing stones at policemen, injuring some of them.

Gallardo identified some of the injured as Senior Police Officer 2 Renaldo Villaber, Police Officer 3 Manson Pasada, PO2 Napoleon Gisain, PO2 Agripino Padrigues, PO1 Dream Orit, PO1 Wilfred Canlas and PO1 Junil Cular.

Computers and glass windows were damaged when Galenzoga’s supporters forced their way into City Hall, according to Gallardo.

The group of Galenzoga retreated to the candidate’s house after the clash. By 7 p.m., police and soldiers were at Galenzoga’s house to arrest them.

Galenzoga was not at her house when the policemen and soldiers were making the arrests. It took them four hours, or from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., to bring Galenzoga’s supporters to jail.