Terredaño’s killing is reportedly being linked to his involvement as DAR arbitrator in the rift between farmers and an irrigators’ association supposedly being controlled by powerful politicians.

Sobriety amid tension?

Amidst the political tension, Gov. Vicente Valera – Rep. Bersamin’s childhood friend, political ally and close relative – is appealing to residents of Abra to stay calm and maintain sobriety.

However, residents fear more political violence will happen especially given that elections will be held in May 2007. “Agrugin san ti gubat (War seemed to have started),” said a resident of Abra who requested anonymity.

“We wait for due process to take its course, and the wheel of justice to turn,” Valera said as he warned his constituents including Bersamin’s family not to take the law into their own hands. “Let the PNP leadership leave no stone unturned, and prosecute immediately the perpetrators of the brazen crime.”

Contrary to what his detractors claim, Valera denied being the mastermind of Bersamin’s killing. “(Residents of Abra) know who really are unabatedly and mercilessly killing people,” he said without explaining further.

Valera himself denounced the police’s “incapacity in dismantling (and) neutralizing…hired assassins belonging to private armed groups (PAGs),” even as the whole police force of Abra have been reassigned to different areas in the Cordillera region last year by then Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes as a way to stop the killings. (Bulatlat.com)

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