Politician couple in Abra under police monitoring

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Abra policemen are monitoring round-the-clock an Abra town mayor and her estranged husband, who is also a town councilor, trying to avert any repeat of the supposedly “husband-wife tiff gone worse” November last year.

Aside from mediating, Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Isagani Nerez,  ‘the Abra police are on their toes to avert any repeat or escalation of violence.’

Nerez said lines have been opened for both Pidigan town mayor Jannsen Buenio Valera and her husband, town councilor Domino Valera to ease the tension.  The police have come in to mediate between the two.

During the last week of November, an irate Councilor Domino, son of Bangued Mayor Dominic Valera and brother of Rep. Ma Jocelyn Valera Bernos, reportedly physically attacked his wife, Jannsen, apparently because of marital misunderstanding.  The councilor reportedly even dragged the lady mayor down the stairs of the town hall.

“Women’s Issue”

The event had reportedly reached the women’s group Gabriela where the lady mayor had reportedly sought help and refuge.

Chief Supt. Nerez confirmed that Gabriela is on the case, though was not privy if the lady mayor has filed a case against her husband.

The Pidigan police had no official record of the case but it was learned that the lady mayor went to them to record the incident. Nerez also admitted that the lady mayor told him “she was threatened”. - Artemio A. Dumlao