Councilor says being poor means he cannot slap woman

By EDWIN IYO
Correspondent

A COUNCILOR has denied that he assaulted a woman as a result of a spat over a property in front of the Gingoog Gallera in Barangay 25, Gingoog.

“Pobre ra tawon me dili na nako mabuhat…,” reads part of a statement posted by Gingoog Councilor Jerome Mercado on Facebook in Sept. 24.

Mercado’s statement was in response to a complaint made by Julliet de Lara-Folton who alleged that the councilor slapped her thrice in the morning of Sept. 21.

Folton and her family are claiming ownership of part of the parking lot being used by Gingoog Gallera, a cockpit, owned by Mercado. She said the alleged slapping took place after her family asserted their right over part of the parking lot.

Folton has blamed the alleged slapping incident for her medical condition. She claimed she collapsed in a Gingoog hospital and then rushed to the Cagayan de Oro Medical Center because her blood pressure shot up after she was allegedly assaulted.

In his Facebook post, Mercado suggested that the accusations were fabricated and that the complainant gave the police false information.

Part of his post reads: “Pareho rata tao naay katungod motubag basta naa sa lugar dili unta mag himo-himo sa storya… Gi lubag daw ang kamot?? homan gi laparo daw ?? Unsa gyud diay ang tinuod ?? Nagpa blotter mo sa sayop nga information??”

Mercado however did not give his version of the incident.