TABUK CITY, Kalinga – An Aquino administration ally, who was suspended for 90 days after mauling a local mediaman in 2012, was again involved in a similar mauling incident after he allegedly manhandled the secretary of the provincial board inside his office around 12 noon Monday.
Gov. Jocel C. Baac, a stalwart of the Liberal Party (LP) in the Cordillera, reportedly called the attention of Mathew Matbagan, of legal age, married, provincial board secretary and a resident of Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga and asked him to report to his office to clarify about the pending resolution prepared by the boardmembers declaring Gabriella Mija Kim Medical Center located at barangay Agbannawag here as an annex of the Kalinga Provincial hospital.
`While inside Baac’s office, the governor confronted Matbagan about some unpleasant terms that were contained in the said resolution that subsequently forced him to get mad, grabbed Matbagan by his shirt and punched him on his face and the different parts of his body.
The mauling incident only stopped when the security escorts of the governor entered the office to pacify the tensed situation. Matbagan tried to explain the contents of the said resolution but the governor allegedly refused to listen to his justifications.
Matbagan narrated to police investigators that prior to the said incident, Baac, in his capacity as governor, ordered medical workers deployed in the said medical center to go back to their respective mother units. Upon learning about Baac’s order, the provincial board immediately convened and drafted a resolution declaring it as an annex of the Kalinga Provincial hospital.
Based on a medical certificate, Matbagan sustained lacerations, abrasions on the different parts of his body and hematoma on his face.
Aside from being charged for multiple physical injuries, Baac stands to face administrative charges before the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that might result to his suspension.
It can be recalled that Baac was suspended for 90 days after he reportedly mauled Jerome Tabanganay, a local broadcaster, inside the booth of a government radio station here sometime in 2012.
Tabanganay was a staunch critic of Baac that prompted him to confront the former and maul him inside the booth of the local radio station.
As of presstime, Baac could not be reached for his comment on the latest mauling incident that he is being linked to.
By Jessie Maguiya
