Punong Barangay Rey Lorenzo of Tanza Timawa Zone 1 has asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take threats against his life seriously even if the recent incident involving alleged gunmen was a dud.

Senior Insp. Kim Legada, chief of Police Precinct 1 (PP1) confirmed Friday last week that the “gunmen” who were thought to be Lorenzo’s would-be assassins were just partygoers who came from a new year’s costume party in a neighboring barangay.

Legada said two persons went to his office to clear their names and turned over costumes and props – a toy armalite rifle, black bonnet and colored blue long dress.

He said they were to buy beer at the store near the Tanza Timawa Barangay Hall where Lorenzo and his son KC are busy arranging chairs that time.

Legada said he personally told Lorenzo about the results of their latest investigation but the latter did not want the police to ignore the threats that he has received from several unidentified persons.

Lorenzo, known as political ally of Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog of the Liberal Party, said politics could be behind the threats.

As far as he remembers, Lorenzo said that he and his neighbours Celine and Arvin Fuentes, said to be aligned with the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), have filed cases against each other.

Lorenzo said the Fuenteses are sub-contractors of former Liga ng mga Barangay president Irene Ong.

He said the couple filed a case of child abuse against him after he referred their 17-year-old son to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for the teen’s alleged involvement in theft, vandalism and physical injuries, among others.

Lorenzo said he filed a counter charge against the couple for grave threat, oral defamation and resisting arrest which is now under review by the City Prosecutor’s Office.

Lorenzo’s statement was supported Barangay Kagawad Leo Luces -- an uncle of Jeffrey Celiz who happens to be Mabilog’s spokesperson.

However, Ong said the statements linking her to the threats are “malicious and libelous”, that this is a dirty trick made by her political opponents.

Ong is the former Punong Barangay of President Roxas, City Proper who is now running for city councilor under UNA and spearheading the medical missions of mayoralty candidate Rommel Ynon.

Ong’s lawyer is mulling the filing of charges against Lorenzo and Luces for their statements destroyed her reputation. She also demanded a public apology after the “assassins” turned out to be just partygoers.*