By Mar T. Supnad and
Teddy Molina
CAMP FLORENDO, La
Union –Poll violence is rising in the
Ilocos but Ilocos police director Chief Supt. Franklyn Jesus Bucayu said
these are “areas of concern” and not “high risk” as earlier reported.
Last week, Interior
and Local government Sec. Manuel Roxas announced that the provinces of La
Union, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan and 12 other provinces, tagged as “high risk
areas” in the May 13 polls, were being closely monitored by the Philippine
National Police.
In a command
conference here Tuesday, Bucayu, noted the intense situation in Tubao town
where at least five people have already been killed recently which reports
earlier linked to politics.
Bucayu earlier said
there were no violent incidents related to politics in the region “but we are
now closely monitoring the other areas to prevent untoward incidents the coming
polls.”
He said they formed a
special task force and deployed additional policemen to prevent
politically-related violence and trouble that maybe carried out by other
groups.
Earlier, Bucayu
ordered the relief of chief of police of Tubao police station in La Union due
to unsolved shooting incidents, the latest of which were the killings of a
lawyer and a barangay official.
Irked by the
incidents, Bucayu relieved Senior Insp. Luis C. Liban, Tubao
police chief due to crime including the failed ambush of Tubao mayor Dante
Garcia.
Prior to the
implementation of the total gun ban in January 2013, police officials here
agreed they would recommend to the national headquarters the early suspension
of permits to carry firearms in Tubao town and probably in the entire second
district of La Union to prevent violence in next year’s midterm polls.
“In fact, members of
civil society groups in La Union held a rally last week in Freedom Park, Agoo
town to denounce the incidents and call for peace and justice for the
victim’s families,” said Supt. Julius Suriben, deputy regional intelligence officer.
La Union provincial
police chief Senior Supt. Ramon O. Purugganan said peace and order situation in
Tubao necessitates change for new police leadership.
Purugganan designated
Senior Insp. BenignoSumawang as officer in charge of Tubao PNP station.
Mayor Dante Garcia was
ambushed but was unharmed by still unknown suspects.
Rodolfo Estoque, a
barangay kagawad was shot to death while Lazaro Gayo, a former vice mayor and
an aspiring candidate for Sangguniang Panlalawigan was also gunned down.
Garcia has reportedly
endorsed his nephew to replace him leaving behind his unnamed brother who is
reportedly aspiring to run for mayor.
In Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, provincial police
alsao took exception to reports on the supposed inclusion of the province in
the list of 15 high-risk areas in next year’s elections.
Senior Supt. Noel Amoyen, provincial police
director, said there have been no politically related crimes in the province
for a long time.
He dismissed the poll hotspot tag as
“speculation,” saying though it would keep local policemen more alert and
dedicated in their work.
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