Abra bet accused of sowing terror during fiesta

La Trinidad, Benguet , Philippines  – Tineg town mayoralty bet Cromwell Luna, son of incumbent Abra Rep. Cecille Luna, is in deep trouble after villagers are suing him and his alleged goons after they “terrorized” them during the aborted town fiesta on March 23.

The younger Luna, his local teammates at the Lakas-Kampi and 50 of his alleged armed goons “stormed” Barangay Agsimao, Tineg’s town center about to celebrate its town fiesta on March 23 and created a mayhem when they fired their automatic rifles in the air.

As a result, the fiesta celebrations were cancelled, also irking the younger Luna who could no longer campaign because no one was around as his audience.

Irate Tineg residents are venting their ire on the courts as Abra Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin and Bangued Diocese Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian upon knowing the incident from the villagers who met them on Monday, encouraged them to formally lodge appropriate complaints against Luna and his group.

A sudden twist also on Monday, the younger Luna complained before Abra police director Senior Superintendent Ernesto Gaab that his party was allegedly ambushed by the group of his rival Lenin Benwaren on that day residents claimed they “stormed” Tineg.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa told reporters at Camp Dangwa in La Trinidad, Benguet Wednesday noon, after witnessing the turnover rites of incoming Cordillera police director Chief Superintendent Villamor Bumanglag from Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestaño who is retiring early next month, they are validating the incident. ”The problem sometimes is that people don’t like to put into writing what happened to assist police in the investigation.” But we will look into it, Verzosa said.

This, as Verzosa ordered Bumanglag to maintain the peace in Abra and nearby Kalinga province during the elections.

Also on Monday, two Army escorts of Luna and one old woman have executed affidavits before the police claiming the ambush by the Benwaren’s group disputing the alleged “hamletting.”