GENERAL LUNA, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte (MindaNews / 23 Sept) —
The vice mayor of Dapa town in Surigao del Norte has been accused of mauling an editor of a Surigaco City-based weekly newspaper.
Edito Mapayo, editor-in-chief of Pinas Balita in Surigao City claimed he was punched by Dapa vice mayor Francisco Gonzales.
Mapayo said he was covering an event in Pilar town for the launching of a service delivery network on a pilot polyclinic adopted from the Cuban Model at Pilar District Hospital with Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Ubial and several provincial and municipal officials when Gonzales saw him, moved closer to Mapayo and punched him several times.
“I was punched three times on my head and he tried to knock me down. I covered my head with my arms and tried to avoid his punches,” Mapayo told MindaNews.
Aside from publishing articles in his local newspaper Mapayo also pitches his stories to radio stations in Surigao City.
King dela Rosa, a reporter of RPN-DXKS who witnessed the incident said “I cannot believe what I saw today. It’s barbaric act and unbecoming.”
Mapayo said Gonzalez got mad at him when he wrote an article about an alleged corruption case and his suspension from the anti-graft court few months ago regarding the illegal purchase of heavy equipment.
Mapayo is preparing to file cases against the vice mayor.
This reporter tried to contact Gonzales several times but he could not be reached. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)