Task Force Abra formed to counter election violence

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has formed a task force in anticipation of more violence in the run-up to the local elections in Abra following the assassination of Rep. Luis Bersamin.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon said Task Force Abra will focus on preventing any outbreak of political violence in the province ahead of next year’s local election.

Calderon appointed Senior Superintendent Eugene Martin, deputy police director of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), to head the task force.

"We need to have effective law enforcement as reports (indicated) that influential families control local PNP units," Calderon said.

Calderon bared his plans to replace all police officials in the province upon the recommendation of the task force.

He also directed Martin to check out reports of local officials maintaining private armies.

"We will know if there are private armies or who are the politicians maintaining private armies. We will also include the strict implementation of the law against loose firearms there," Calderon said.

As this developed, the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has invited several personalities to help out in the probe on the Bersamin slaying.

CIDG chief Director Jesus Versoza refused to identify the individuals invited in connection with the ambush slaying of Bersamin pending further investigation.

Versoza said they are focusing on the possibility that the killing was politically motivated.

But the assassination could also be the handiwork of the communist New People’s Army (NPA), Versoza said.

According to Versoza, the probers are already "in the heat of the investigation."

As soon as investigators gathered evidence to warrant the filing of charges, Versoza said they would make public the suspects behind the slaying of Bersamin.

"We will divulge the person to be charged but as of now, we can’t reveal the names. It depends on the witness declarations. It is possible that a witness can be a suspect," he said.

Calderon has ordered Versoza and the CIDG to speed up the investigation.

"We are convinced that we can solve the case. We have given the Bersamin family assurance that the PNP will solve the case," Calderon said.

Calderon ordered the formation of Task Force Abra in the wake of reports that tensions escalated in the province following the assassination of Bersamin last Saturday.

At around 11 p.m. Monday, several motorcycle-riding strafed the house of Dolores Mayor Albert Guzman followed by an attempt to set the house on fire.

CAR police director Chief Superintendent Raul Gonzales, however, assured everything is under control and there is no cause for alarm.

Gonzales admitted tensions had escalated in the province following the killing of Bersamin but the attack on Guzman was an isolated case. — With Artemio Dumlao, Delon Porcalla, Christina Mendez, Mayen Jaymalin