Valera gets 2 police escorts

Controversial Abra Gov. Vicente Valera was allowed two police escorts by the Philippine National Police (PNP) after showing alleged threats on his life.

Valera, implicated in the assassination of Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr. earlier year, was able to secure police security after filing a formal request before the PNP-Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO), claiming "imminent threats" on his life.

PSPO director Chief Superintendent Romeo Hilomen said Valera made the formal request for police escorts last month.

According to Hilomen, the request was granted by PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon after the police Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) validated the threats against the Abra governor.

Hilomen explained the PNP-IG made the necessary request before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) which also made its own validation on the perceived threats against Valera.

Hilomen, however, refused to comment on reports that Valera is maintaining a private army but said "other units are tasked to verify the existence of partisan armed groups" in the province.

The Comelec has placed Abra under its full control while the PNP has considered the province as one of the areas "of immediate concern," with the near possibility of violence erupting on election day.

Abra has been placed under tight police security following the assassination of Bersamin last December.

A week after he was implicated in the murder, Valera was arrested and charged for illegal possession of firearms and explosives in Quezon City.

The governor was able to post bail on the charges but denied involvement in the killing of Bersamin.

Valera maintained the allegations linking him to the assassination of Bersamin "were just hearsay" even after he was tagged by one of the suspects who acted as a lookout during the murder.

Self-confessed lookout Rufino Panday claimed former La Paz vice mayor Freddie Dupo revealed to him that Valera ordered the murder of Bersamin with an offer of P5 million to do the job.

Panday later retracted his statement but police said his initial confession has been supported by physical evidence.