Not too many Filipinos residing in Australia know what former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Tony Sanchez did to Eileen Sarmenta and her boyfriend Allan Gomez in June 1993. Whenever he felt the urge, he would ask his police officers to accompany him to go “shopping” inside the campus of the University of the Philippines in Los Banos, Laguna. He picked a pretty coed who was later “arrested” by the police officers and brought to the horny mayor in his rest house. After satisfying his carnal desires, Mayor Sanchez released Eileen Sarmenta, again to be raped by his equally sex-hungry band of policemen.
The following morning, a lifeless and totally nude Eileen Sarmenta was paraded by the police goons in the streets of Calauan. Her boyfriend Allan Gomez, who witnessed the entire rape incident, was also killed, presumably by the same gang of policemen.
Thanks to the incessant reporting and audacity of media, former Mayor Sanchez is now behind bars, hopefully, never to be released. He should consider himself lucky because capital punishment was not in force at the time the heinous crime was committed.
Just a day after Christmas 2008, two other politicians, this time a father and son team, were reported to have been involved in beating up a 56 year old golfer and his 14 year old son at the Valley Golf Club in Antipolo, Philippines. Nasser Pagandaman, Jr. who happens to be Mayor of Masiu, Lanao del Sur, punched and kicked Delfin de la Paz and son Bino because of a misunderstanding about golf etiquette. All these happened in the presence of his father, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser, Sr. and with the help of two gun-wielding bodyguards of the Pagandamans.
Bino de la Paz, who is reportedly a student of Ateneo de Manila, was likewise beaten but did not fight back. He was seen crying – bleeding in his ears – pleading his father’s assailants to stop.
Both Pangandamans should have their day in court, even if they apparently don’t believe in the rule of law. The De la Paz family and other outraged citizens are not without recourse while the slow wheels of justice in the Philippines move at a snail’s pace. They should directly appeal to President Gloria Arroyo, herself a golfer, for the immediate sacking of her Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pagandaman, Sr. Ronaldo Puno, Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, who himself is an alumnus of Ateneo de Manila University, should place Mayor Pagandaman under preventive suspension. The abuse of power is obviously present. All witnesses have one voice. They all heard the small town mayor say: “Alam mo ba kung sino ako?” (Don’t you know who I am?)
A more detailed story can be found in a blog posted by Bambi de la Paz here.
These are the kind of politicians who never should have been elected into office. They should, in fact, rot in jail, just like Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez.