Eraño Timbang revealed that he faced life threats even before he assumed office as Acting Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, but he assured that he is committed to fulfilling the duties entrusted to him.
"Noong pumutok 'yung last na pag-raid, may napansin kami rito na nagtatanong na 'dyan ba umuuwi si councilor?'" Timbang shared one instance when he feared for his life, during an exclusive interview with DZRH on Thursday.
"Napablotter ko na sa barangay 'yung bagay na 'yon at sa pulis," he added.
Timbang mentioned that he worries about the lives of his loved ones and hopes that nothing bad will happen to him.
"May pakiramdam lang ako, sana nga walang mangyari sa buhay ko," said Timbang.
The acting mayor believes that the threats stemmed from his opposition to the issuance of the Letter of No Objection (LONO) for the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in their municipality.
"Ako ‘yung nagiisang lumaban, nag-object sa pag issueance ng LONO," Timbang mentioned.
"Nagiisa po ako, hindi ako nagtagumpay sa pagkakataong ‘iyon," he added.
Moreover, he is suspected to be the reason for the problems occurring in their town.
Despite receiving threats, Timbang vowed to remain committed to his duties as acting mayor even for a duration of three months.
"Gagawin ko lang po ‘yung tama at makakabuti sa bayan ko, sa bayan ng Bamban," Timbang said.
Timbang also mentioned his plan to run for mayoral post in 2025. If successful, he intends to develop the POGO compound into a multi-complex that will include restaurants, mall, school, and even Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies.
Timbang extended his gratitude to the citizens for their trust. He then assured his constituents that he would perform his duties diligently and that the Office of the Mayor would always be open for them.
"Katuwang ko ang Panginoong Diyos na laging nasa sentro ng buhay ko, gagawin ko ang mga trabaho bilang acting mayor ngayon," Timbang said in closing.
Municipal Councilor Eraño Timbang will assume office as acting mayor of following the dismissal order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman against Alice Guo.
