NBI to go to court for Valera's DNA sample

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said over the weekend it will seek a court order to get a sample of former Abra governor Vicente Valera’s DNA for a paternity test requested by a woman who claimed to be Valera’s girlfriend.

NBI-National Capital Region (NCR) executive officer Rommel Vallejo said Valera refused to give a sample of his DNA to agents who went to his cell at the Quezon City Jail Thursday.

“We are confident that within the weekend or by next week, we would be able to get the DNA sample we need,” Vallejo said.

He said April Leaño, a resident of Pasig City, went to the NBI after Valera refused to acknowledge that he was the father of her child and provide child support. Leaño has provided samples of her DNA to the NBI.

Vallejo said the NBI usually gets a cheek cell and blood sample to perform a DNA test.

Valera was arrested early this month in a unit at the Hidalgo Towers condominium in Makati City for allegedly masterminding the murder of his political rival, then Abra congressman Luis Bersamin Jr., and his police escort, Senior Police Officer 1 Adolfo Ortega, on Dec. 16, 2006. The two were gunned down in front of the Mt. Carmel Church in New Manila, Quezon City after attending a wedding.

In an earlier interview, NBI-NCR chief Edward Villarta said their office is not the one handling the paternity test for Leaño’s child.