Cops allow Abra governor 2 bodyguards
INQUIRER.net
Thea AlbertoMANILA, Philippines -- Reelectionist Abra Governor Vicente Valera has been allowed two police bodyguards because of supposed threats to his life, an official told INQUIRER.net on Wednesday.
Chief Superintendent Romeo Hilomen, Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO) director, said Valera submitted the request to his office last month and it was approved by Philippine National Police Chief, Director General Oscar Calderon and the Commission on Elections.
"He requested for security and I had it validated by the Intelligence Group," said Hilomen in Filipino.
Valera has been implicated to the murder of Abra Representative Luis Bersamin late last year.
Bersamin was killed last December as he left a church wedding in Quezon City.
An arrested suspect, Rufino Panday, originally earlier admitted involvement in the killing and tagged Valera as the mastermind. However, he later retracted his allegations and claimed he was forced by police to tag Valera to the killing.
Abra, which has seen a number of its politicians murdered or attacked lately and is also reported to be home to several private armies, has been tagged by authorities an area of immediate concern in the May elections.
“We (PSPO) have no information about that (private armies)..that is for other units to investigate,” said Hilomen. “As far as we are concerned, we just provide protective security to those who request.”
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TALLIES
| Escudero, Francis Joseph (GO) | 1,530,337 |
|---|---|
| Legarda, Loren (GO) | 1,445,355 |
| Aquino, Benigno Simeon III (GO) | 1,427,372 |
| Lacson, Panfilo (GO) | 1,315,961 |
| Pangilinan, Francis (IND) | 1,270,851 |
| Villar, Manuel Jr (GO) | 1,267,929 |
| Cayetano, Alan Peter (GO) | 1,097,065 |
| Arroyo, Joker (TU) | 1,046,152 |
| Angara, Edgardo (TU) | 999,396 |
| Trillanes, Antonio IV (GO) | 980,643 |
| Recto, Ralph (TU) | 971,250 |
| Zubiri, Juan Miguel (TU) | 957,930 |
| Legarda, Loren (GO) | 14,161,803 |
|---|---|
| Escudero, Francis Joseph (GO) | 13,919,444 |
| Lacson, Panfilo (GO) | 12,027,067 |
| Villar, Manuel Jr (GO) | 11,674,064 |
| Aquino, Benigno Simeon III (GO) | 11,107,999 |
| Pangilinan, Francis (IND) | 11,092,665 |
| Angara, Edgardo (TU) | 9,689,358 |
| Cayetano, Alan Peter (GO) | 9,030,748 |
| Honasan, Gregorio (IND) | 9,013,231 |
| Arroyo, Joker (TU) | 8,977,075 |
| Trillanes, Antonio IV (GO) | 8,710,648 |
| Pimentel, Aquilino III (GO) | 8,449,279 |
| Legarda, Loren (GO) | 18,352,290 |
|---|---|
| Escudero, Francis Joseph (GO) | 18,095,757 |
| Lacson, Panfilo (GO) | 15,442,480 |
| Villar, Manuel Jr (GO) | 15,192,880 |
| Pangilinan, Francis (IND) | 14,415,704 |
| Aquino, Benigno Simeon III (GO) | 14,234,979 |
| Angara, Edgardo (TU) | 12,404,138 |
| Cayetano, Allan Peter (GO) | 11,736,410 |
| Arroyo, Joker (TU) | 11,550,655 |
| Honasan, Gregorio (IND) | 11,487,784 |
| Trillanes, Antonio IV (GO) | 11,138,067 |
| Pimentel, Aquilino III (GO) | 10,865,397 |
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