The General Elections are weeks away, and candidates are ramping up their campaigns to a fever pitch.
Tonight, however, the UDP's Phillip Willoughby is being pressured by a Port Loyola voter. Virginio Roches is accusing the veteran politician of acting in a thuggish manner last week Friday. He is alleging that Willoughby almost pushed him off a bicycle which he was riding on with a full tank of butane.
Now, we've been interacting with the media-friendly Phillip Willoughby for about 15 years now, and in that time, he has never displayed any hint of hostile or aggressive behavior.
But, Roches insists it happened and that he has reported the incident to police with the intent to press charges. He outlined his accusation to us about how it allegedly went down last Friday:
Virginio Roaches - Accusing Phillip Willoughby
"I was coming down Jane Usher Boulevard with my LPG tank full of gas. And I saw Mr. Willoughby jump out of his vehicle, pushed me in my side, while I was in the process of riding. [I] almost fell off my bicycle. I continued riding. I didn't pay him any mind. I just continued riding."
Reporter
"Did he say anything?"
Virginio Roaches
"All that he said [was] Roaches, I don't want you to be disrespecting me, you know. I didn't say anything."
"I just continued riding, and when I reached home, I called the police, and I put it in the police's hands. Because I call the radio station, and I make the people of Port Loyola know, Mr. Willoughby is in the area for the past 2 years, and he has done nothing for the Port. And I called the radio station, and now you will tell me that I disrespected you for that."
"I have made a complaint to the Raccoon Street Police Station, and we will see what is the outcome of this investigation."
Reporter
"Are we certain that you aren't here to try to attack his credibility? Are you any sort of PUP operative?"
Virginio Roaches
"I am not trying to do so. That's why I told Mr. Willoughby, if you said that I am disrespecting you, you can just easily go to the police station and make a report saying that I am disrespecting you. You have not done so. You rather go through violence. I have the right to vote for who I want. I have the right to freedom of speech."
Reporter
"I get you on that sir, but I am just saying. We are just making sure that you are not using your freedom of speech to try to impugn this man's character before an election."
Virginio Roaches
"No, that is not what I am doing. He did to himself because if he didn't do it, I wouldn't be here right now."
"I am just here to make Mr. Willoughby know, this is the first, and this will be the last time. I could say whatever I want over the radio station. Then, you take me to court. I told him, sue me. I want you to sue me. You didn't do that. You didn't go to the police station and said that I said something over the radio station. When I passed Jane Usher Boulevard with your entourage, you will go and [try] to push me down with my LPG? What if my LPG [tank] burst, and it exploded? Your supporters would be in danger. I would be in danger, and you wouldn't be there for election day."
