Former Agusan Provincial Board member who wrote letters to Melo, P-Noy get death threats 

by Ben Serrano

November 10, 2010 

Sta. Josefa, AGUSAN DEL SUR - Former Agusan del Sur Provincial Board Member Rey Quijada today claimed he is getting death threats after writing letter to COMELEC Chairman Jose Melo and COMELEC commissioners to declare Barangay election in Barangay Poblacion of Sta. Josefa a failure due massive vote-buying and selling.

            Quijada who served as Barangay Captain of Sta. Josefa Barangay Poblacion, one of the biggest barangay in Agusan del Sur for 15 years asked Melo and officials of COMELEC central office in Manila to investigate failure of Agusan del Sur Provincial Election Supervisor Francisco Pobe to transfer Sta. Josefa Municipal COMELEC officer Rosalie Plaza during the October 25 Barangay election after Plaza admitted her husband is first cousin to Barangay Captain bet Carpin Plaza.

            “This is despite of so many letters of Barangay Captain bet Danilo Valdez  Fontanilla to Pobe months and weeks before October 25 election requesting the Agusan del Sur Provincial Comelec office for Sta. Josefa Municipal Comelec officer’s transfer”, Quijada said.

            Quijada said Pobe never bothered to officially reply letters of Barangay Captain bet Fontanilla, ‘another violations Pobe has to answer”, Quijada alleged.

            Quijada also wrote President Aquino last November 3 asking the chief executive to start massive voters’ education drive to counter the social ills of continuing massive vote-buying and selling in the last October 25 Barangay and SK polls.

            According to Quijada, there were no official replies yet as of press time of his letters dated November 3, 2010 he sent to Melo, P-Noy, COMELEC commissioners and even to Agusan del Sur Provincial COMELEC Supervisor Francisco Pobe.

            Quijada said he even personally delivered the copy furnishes of the letters to the COMELEC officials and P-Noy to the Office of Pobe at the Agusan del Sur Provincial COMELEC office at the provincial capitol compound in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur last November 3, 2010.

            “It was received by the COMELEC personnel at the Provincial COMELEC office and were marked received” Quijada claimed as he furnished this writer of the photo copies of the letters with marked received by COMELEC.

            Quijada went to Sta. Josefa Municipal Police Office early morning yesterday to officially blotter or record the death threat he was receiving through his mobile phone

            Quijada told police a male voice called him morning of November 8, 2010 and repeatedly warmed him of incoming death or harm in Visayan.

            “The caller at first asked me if I am Rey Quijada at the mobile phone as if he does not know me but I knew he knew me because he uttered many words familiar to me, then the man started to death threat me because of my complaints to COMELEC”, Quijada told police investigators here.

            But Quijada wondered why Sta. Josefa Police were silent despite of clear and present danger of the death threats, “Sta. Josefa Police never even bothered to ask me about my safety and how can they (PNP) can help to keep me away from harm”

            Quijada said he put in the Sta. Josefa PNP police blotter the name of Policeman Miguel Plaza, he suspected the person in the mobile phone who issued death threats to him.

            “Miguel Plaza, I don’t know what is his police ranks is member of Sta. Josefa Municipal Police assigned at the Intelligence Division and is husband of Sta. Josefa Municipal Comelec Officer Rosalie Plaza” Quijada concludes. 

            Quijada provided this writer info what is the content of the police blotter.including all pertinent documents. Howvever, Sta. Josefa Police Office promised Quijada to provide him official copy of the blotter Wednesday November 10, 2010. 

              This writer tried many times to reach or contact Pobe even  before October 25 elections when the issue raised by Barangay bet Fontanilla surfaced but to no avail. Pobe is also currently acting regional director of the COMELEC in Caraga region.