Police security for family of slain teacher

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Police Office has provided at least two policemen to secure the family of a slain high school teacher in Minglanilla town.

CCPO director Patrocinio Comendador said the police detail, which started last Wednesday, will remain until the burial of Serafin Villahermosa.

Comendador, however, said the security will be extended if necessary since the family needs to be secured because of what had happened to the teacher.

Villahermosa’s wife, who requested not to be named, said she has been receiving death threats before her husband was shot to death. She is asking the authorities to speed up their investigation.

Comendador said the police detail will be deployed for 24 hours. “Kuwang mi sa mga kapolisan but we see to it nga ma-secure sila.”

Villahermosa’s wife believes that his killing was related to the death of her sister.

She believes that the mastermind of the murder of her sister, Lalaine Jore, got angry after she and her father filed a case against him.

Jore was shot and killed inside her convenience store along Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City on February 17, 2009.

Jore’s father submitted an affidavit to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office last March 8, accusing the husband of former San Fernando mayor Lakambini Reluya, Ricardo Reluya, of masterminding the killing.

But Reluya vehemently denied the allegation.

Villahermosa, 36, a fourth year high school teacher, was shot inside the Tubod Elementary School in Minglanilla at 5 p.m. last Monday by a still unidentified gunman.

A fellow teacher, Rogelio Maunes, who was walking with him during the shooting, was hit in the arm.

Villahermosa died from multiple gunshot wounds. — THE FREEMAN