Armed men ‘terrorize’ Abra, clash with cops

       Bocap candidate shot dead; 123 BSKE bets withdraw 

By Aldwin Quitasol and AD

BANGUED, Abra — A hundred more cops were deployed to Abra after the provincial government told the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines this was needed to stop increase in election-related violence as barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) draw near.
    Gov. Dominic Valera and Vice Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Valera-Bernos made the call Oct. 14 amid rising tension in the province following an encounter between policemen and an armed group in Bucay town.
    Valera told the people to remain calm as he condemned what he described as “terrorism” perpetrated by unidentified armed men.
    The armed men reportedly knocked on houses to persuade residents to vote for their candidates.
    Valera said no such incident occurred during the past two elections.
    Valera expressed alarm over reports that 122 BSKE candidates in the province were forced to withdraw because of harassment while members of the board of election inspectors refused to participate in the elections.
    At least 44 teachers reportedly begged off from serving in the BSKE this Oct. 30.
    Abra provincial election supervisor Richelle Belmes said the situation is still generally peaceful despite reported intimidations in Bangued, Bucay and Pilar.
    In Bucay, a man running for the barangay council here was declared dead while being treated at the hospital an hour after he was shot two times by still unidentified gunmen here at Sitio Nagpasinan, Barangay Bangbangcag.
    According to the Bucay Municipal Police, the shooting incident happened around 7 a.m. of Oct. 18.
    The victim was identified as Catalino Turalba Sr.,52. The victim, resident of Barangay Bangbangcag was candidate for barangay kagawad.
    Police reported that Turalba was on board his motorcycle headed to Barangay Palaquio of the town.
    On his way, two men riding in tandem followed him. One of the suspects shot him two times with a pistol of unidentified caliber.
    The victim was rushed to the St Therese Hospital in Talogtog, Dolores town by personnel of 1504th Regional Mobile Force Battalion.
    He was later transferred to the Abra Provincial Hospital in Bangued where he was declared dead.  Cordillera police director Brig. Gen.     David Peredo Jr. directed Abra police to guard all exit points of Bucay.
    Comelec Cordillera regional director lawyer Julius Torres said the latest shooting incident in the province wherein Turalba was killed should be resolved immediately.
    Earlier on Oct. 9 in Bucay, police engaged a group of armed men in a gun battle early morning of Oct. 9 at Sitio Nagsangalan, Barangay Layugan.
    According to the police, Bucay police and the 2nd Police Mobile Force Company (PMFC) were conducting mobile patrol.
    They chanced upon more than five armed men and a firefight erupted between the two groups.
    One of the armed men was wounded in the gunfight. He was later identified as Romnick Balmaceda, a resident of Barangay Calumbaya, Dolores town.
    He was rushed to a nearby clinic.
    No policeman was hurt. Balmaceda's companions meanwhile were able to escape exiting the encounter site through the forested part of the area.
    Recovered from the site were two loaded M16 rifles, six rifle magazines with ammunition, 120 pieces of live bullets and 37 spent cartridges.
    Nearby Manabo town police and Police Regional Mobile Force Battalion helped in looking for the armed men.