Blood feud of Abra top political families: Valera jailed over Bersamin murder

Former Abra governor Vicente “Vicsyd” Valera is now in jail in Manila after his arrest in his condominium unit at Hidalgo Towers in Rockwell, Makati City Tuesday night in connection with the killing of Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin and his police escort in Quezon City in 2006.

Supt. Franklin Mabanag, chief of the district mobile group of the Quezon City Police District told the media he and his men served the arrest warrant on Valera at 10 p.m. on August 25.

Valera was arrested four weeks after Judge Luisito Cortez of Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s Branch 84 issued the warrant of arrest.

No bail was recommended for the murder charges while bail has been set at P200,000 for the frustrated murder case.

Mabanag said arresting units were composed of policemen of QCPD and the Makati City Police Office led by Senior Supt. Cedric Train.

Mabanag said at the time of the arrest, Valera’s wife Ching and daughter-lawyer Anne were with him.

Through surveillance and information received from contacts, Mabanag said, they were able to ascertain the whereabouts of Valera.

Mabanag said Anne was the person whom he met at the front door of the condominium, adding she initially told police that Valera was not in.

But Mabanag insisted that they be allowed to get in, and inside, they found Valera.
The former governor went peacefully with arresting officers.

Valera was initially brought to the Philippine National Police’s General Hospital for checkup.
He was later taken to the PNP custodial center.

Valera is accused of masterminding the murder of Bersamin who was killed in the compound of Mount Carmel church in New Manila, Quezon City on Dec. 16, 2006.

Also killed in the attack was the congressman’s police escort, SPO1 Adolfo Ortega.

The aides of the former governor -- Leo Bello, Jerry Torquesa and Leo Bruno -- are also facing charges of double murder and frustrated murder in connection with the killing of the congressman.

Two other victims – parking attendant Rolly Boy Labaja and Bersamin’s driver Allan Sawadan – were injured during the shooting.

According to Mabanag, the authorities tailed the former Abra governor in different places all over Metro Manila and in provinces like Laguna and Pangasinan after the issuance of the arrest warrants.

Mabanag, who now heads the QCPD’s District Mobile Group, was then chief of the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit that handled the investigation of the killing and the filing of the case against Valera – who had been tagged by his co-accused in the Bersamin slay case – before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Feb. 16 last year.

Valera was accompanied by his daughter Anne and wife Ching when brought for medical examination at the PNP General Hospital and later to the Custodial Center for booking.
Gatdula said Valera hinted about wanting to see him to explain his side on the slay case when he was still director of QCPD.

At the time, Gatdula said there was still no warrant of arrest for Valera. But the former governor went into hiding after he was arrested for a traffic violation and guns were seized from his vehicle.

Along with Valera, seven others were included in the charge sheet that was filed last year, which also covered another count of murder for the death of Bersamin’s bodyguard and two counts of frustrated murder for the injuries sustained by two others during the killing.

Bersamin’s police bodyguard, Senior Police Officer 1 Adelfo Ortega, also died during the incident outside of the Mt. Carmel Church after the former lawmaker attended a wedding.

Apart from Valera, those who were charged were the alleged triggerman Jerry Turqueza, Sergeant Leo Bello, an alleged New People’s Army commander in Abra named “Uncle” and four others identified only as Jun, Jeff-Jeff, Mel, and Ka Dado.

Bello surrendered Wednesday to the QCPD, while Turqueza remains at large.
The charges were based on the testimonies of former La Paz town vice mayor Freddie Dupo and Sonny Taculao, who were earlier charged along with former Army master sergeant Rufino Panday.

Mabanag said that on Dec. 20, 2007, Dupo, while in detention, gave his sworn statement and identified Valera as the alleged mastermind behind the killing.

“They planned the killing of Rep. Bersamin in Nalinac Beach in Bauang, La Union and he (Dupo) was tapped to look for a person who can guide the hit men to Mount Carmel Church (in Quezon City),” Mabanag said in the charge sheet.

Dupo, according to Mabanag, stated that he recommended Taculao, who is his cousin, to do the job.
Taculao also told police that Dupo introduced him to a group led by a certain “Uncle” in an apartelle along E. Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard in Quezon City.

“Therein, he met the group he only identified as Jerry Turqueza, Jun, Ka Dado, Jeff-Jeff and Uncle. All of them came from Abra and were not familiar with the streets of the city, particularly the vicinity of Mt. Carmel Church where the planned assassination was to be perpetrated,” Mabanag said.

Mabanag said Taculao told them that the man named Uncle told him not to worry “since it was the project of the Abra governor.”

The family of Bersamin, meanwhile, was elated with the recent developments.

“We are glad that he (Valera) is finally in the hands of authorities. The wheels of justice would now start grinding,” Abra Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin said.

The family handed to the informant the P500,000 reward in Camp Crame for tipping authorities on the whereabouts of the former Abra governor.

Director Eugene Martin, head of the PNP directorate for intelligence, broke the news of Valera’s arrest to the Bersamin family.

He said Bersamin’s eldest daughter, Charry, shouted with joy upon hearing the arrest and together the family thanked God.

“After almost three long years of waiting, we are now reaching the light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the death of my elder brother,” said Gov. Bersamin, even as he refused to delve on the merits of the case.

He said he has complete faith in the leadership of Verzosa, who worked hard to give justice to his slain brother.

The family had offered a P250,000 reward for the capture of Valera and P100,000 for Bello. – With a report from Jeffrey Damicog