The newly reported incidents of violence in Jaen, Nueva Ecija are being linked to the political tension arising from the contested mayoral post in the municipality.
Last Tuesday evening, an improvised explosive device detonated in a market in Jaen, where no injuries were reported. A hand grenade was also found outside the house of Sylvia Austria who recently stepped down as mayor.
Authorities are still identifying the male individual caught throwing a hand grenade from Jaen Municipal Police Station in a CCTV footage.
Another IED explosion took place at the gate of Jaen Municipal Hall on December 20, 2020, two days before Mayor Antonio Esquivel officially assumed the mayoral post.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) believes the events are politically motivated.
“Post blast investigation shows similarities in the bomb signature and components used in the construction of both IEDs, indicating the possibility it may be the handiwork of the same suspect,” PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas said.
Central Luzon Police Regional Director BGen. Val De Leon has been ordered to resolve the dispute and “lower the temperature”.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Region 3 cannot yet enforce the order of the Commission on Elections to reinstate Austria pending the final clearance from the central office.
The Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court on December 2020 issued a decision declaring the victory of Esquivel in the 2019 elections based on the manual recount of votes. – Report from Bea Bernardo
