Bersamins oppose Comelec control for Abra

The hearing on the petition of Abra Gov. Vicente Valera to have the province placed under direct control of the Commission on Elections was delayed anew after the camp of slain Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr opposed it. Armando Velasco, Comelec-Cordillera director, said his office moved the February 6 Comelec en banc meeting on Valera's petition to February 20 after Bersamin's camp registered its rejection. This was the second postponement of the hearing which was earlier scheduled on January 30. Velasco said that due to the opposition of Bersamin's camp, Valera was given five days to answer the motion before the poll body could act on his (Valera's) petition. Valera also wanted the poll body to replace all policemen in the province, including the contingent of Task Force Abra headed by Senior Superintendent Eugene Martin, because of its alleged bias against him, his wife Bangued Mayor Ma. Cita, and their political allies. Martin earlier denied that he is partial against the Valeras. Valera said the police tagged the 11 mayors supporting him as maintainers of armed goons while those who were against him were not included in the list although it is a public knowledge in Abra that they, too, have armed supporters. Velasco said only a "serious armed threat" scenario could compel Comelec to declare a province like Abra under their direct control. He said Resolution No. 7773 of the Comelec issued on December 6, 2006 states "a serious armed threat" is a requisite in declaring an area under (their) direct control. It includes the active presence of paramilitary groups, private armed groups and New People's Army. He said all the police directors of the six provinces of the Cordillera, including Baguio City, met with him the other day to assess the situation and they found no serious threat in the said areas. He said Abra's present political situation is not enough reason for them to place the province under Comelec control. There are, however, strong possibilities of violence owing to Abra's long history of poll-related skirmishes between supporters of rival politicians. Velasco said that apart from Abra, other areas of concern are Kalinga and Apayao provinces where possible poll-related problems might arise. During the 2004 elections, ballot snatching was reported in upland Tinglayan town in Kalinga while provincial election supervisor Julius Angadol was slain in Apayao. He said some areas in Mt. Province are being monitored by his office because of the presence of communist rebels. - GMANews.TV