PCPR Official says no harassment happened

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PCPR Official says no harassment happened

The Provincial Coordinator of Promotion for Church People’s Response (PCPR) has strongly denied allegations of grave threats against a family in Barangay Dobdob, Valencia which filed kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against a Karapatan official.

Joseph Lagura has denied allegations of terrorizing a family in Valencia at DYEM Energy FM Dumaguete Tonight as a reaction of the military’s accusation. Lagura said he did not threaten the Ortega family which filed the complaint against Vimarie Arcilla in order for them not to pursue the case. Lagura has also admitted that Karapatan has fetched Catalino Ortega on June 29 in order to produce a sworn statement regarding an alleged kidnapping of a certain Calixto Alfante aka Ka Manong who was allegedly forcibly taken by the military wherein Catalino has been a witness.

After Catalino’s mother, Anita, filed a complaint last July 21, Catalino was then sent back to his family. On the other hand, regarding accusations of him fetching an arrested suspected member of the New People’s Army in San Jose, Lagura said he fetched Regimar Martinez after he was released by the military. Lagura said this happened because Martinez’ family based in Cebu has asked for his help.

On the issue of the possible charges of grave threats to be filed against Lagura, he said he has already been expecting such. He added that this is one way of harassing him and he is ready to face all these charges.