An angry mob gathered outside the San Ignacio Police Station on Friday night when the town Mayor was locked down like a common criminal. It all started earlier that evening at about 8:00 pm, when police went to search the home of local newspaper editor and UDP activist Alberto August for firearms and explosives. They found none, but still took august down to the station and detained him. A crowd of supporters gathered outside the station and that included UDP Mayor Alfonso Cruz who went in to the station to check on August. But Cruz was roughly held at the entrance to the station by a corporal and then arrested and charged for firearm possession. At the time, Cruz was carrying his firearm, but it is licensed. Still he was thrown in the cell as well. When that happened, the crowd outside the station started to protest angrily and eventually police had to send for the riot squad from the city.
Fortunately, it never came to that, and both men were released on Saturday morning. August wasn't charged with anything, while Cruz appeared in court this morning charged with a firearm related offence. When newspaper editor August went to court to hear his case, he was again thrown into the detention cell, this time for raising his hand in court, which the judge said was contempt. But it turned out to be a frivolous complaint and August was released again this evening.
