La Union solon urges Du30 to push probe on slay plan against her

LA UNION Second District Rep. Sandra Eriguel called on President Rodrigo Duterte to provide assistance to authorities in the investigation of the alleged plan to assassinate her and two other town officials. 

In a statement, Eriguel asked the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation on Monday to conduct its probe "thoroughly and expeditiously" and to identify and arrest all personalities that may be involved in the plot.
    "I would also like to appeal to President Duterte to assist us in this endeavor to uncover the truth by directing government resources to the ongoing investigation," she said. "I take these reports very seriously, as the threat on my life has become apparent; most especially that the 2022 national and local elections are approaching."
    The lawmaker condemned "to the highest degree" the assassination plan initiated by the gun-for-hire squad, allegedly led by former police colonel Winston Magpali that, according to her, was "reminiscent" of the killings in La Union in 2018.
    Among the victims then was her husband, former La Union Second District representative Eufranio "Franny" Eriguel.
    Eriguel recalled how the late lawmaker was "brutally murdered" in Barangay Capas, Agoo, La Union on May 12, 2018, two days before the barangay (village) elections.

The suspects in the case were members of the Magpali-led gang.

The other victims were then-Balaoan vice mayor Alfred Concepcion and then-Sudipen mayor Alexander Buquing, whose killings were also said to be politically motivated.

Eriguel also voiced "deep concern" over the presence of a gun-for-hire squad in the province with the May 9, 2022 polls just months away.

She asked the President to mobilize authorities for "additional security protection."

"Amid all these, we continue to cry for justice for [former representative] Franny and for our allies and supporters, who also fell victim to the senseless act of killing, purely because of politics," the La Union lawmaker said.

"Accomplishments and platforms of government should be the only means to sway our constituents in choosing their leaders. Truly, harassment and violence have no space in a civilized society [such as] ours," the lawmaker added.

According to an intelligence report, the assassination plan, in which Eriguel was reportedly the primary target, was averted by Bacnotan town police on June 23. The other two targets were said to be affiliated with the Eriguel clan.

The PNP, led by Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, had launched a massive manhunt to track down the members of the Magpali squad, who were former police and military officials.