Abra’s top cop replaced as violence surges ahead of May polls
CAMP DANGWA, LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET—The Cordillera Police Office enforced a leadership change this week by appointing a veteran police officer to oversee security in Abra province, where 17 cases of gun violence have been recorded in the run-up to the midterm elections.
At the request of acting Abra Gov. Russell Bragas, Police Col. Gilbert Fati-ig was replaced on Wednesday as Abra police director by Police Col. Froiland Lopez, who oversaw the barangay elections in the province in October 2023.
This move was the first step in curbing violence in Abra, said Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. David Peredo Jr. during the fourth session of the Cordillera Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) here on Friday.
The RJSCC, composed of officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and security agencies like the police and the Army, periodically assesses peace and order conditions during the election season.
Abra recorded the highest number of shooting cases in the Cordillera, tallying 23 gun-related incidents during the election period from Jan. 12 to March 31, according to a police situation report.
However, only two of these shootings have so far been classified as election-related incidents, with six others under revalidation after initially being deemed unrelated to politics.
With 38 days remaining before the elections, “our readiness is being tested” by these violent incidents in the highland region, said lawyer Vanessa Roncal, Comelec deputy director for the Cordillera and former Abra election officer.
Gun attacks
She added that another grenade explosion occurred on Thursday night at the home of a village chair—the fifth grenade-related incident so far on Abra.
Three election candidates in the region have died, but only one case involved a gun attack. The other two deaths were due to an illness and self-inflicted harm, respectively, said lawyer Julius Torres, the poll body’s Cordillera director. He did not identify the candidates.
A March 31 report from the Abra police stated that 13 people have died from gun attacks in the towns of Bangued, La Paz, Langiden, Pilar, Tayum, and San Juan, while eight others were injured.
Peredo said Abra recorded the highest number of shooting incidents in March, prompting the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) to convene there on Monday.
Abra residents traveled to the summer capital over the weekend to appeal for intervention as the killings escalated, said Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who chairs the RPOC.
Peredo acknowledged at the RPOC meeting that the violence in Abra has become “alarming and concerning,” regardless of whether the crimes were linked to the elections.
However, he admitted hesitating to make this observation earlier, fearing it would intensify the atmosphere of fear already gripping the province.
For decades, Abra has been “notorious” for election-related violence due to intense rivalries among its influential political clans. The province drew national attention in 2005 when a government fact-finding team confirmed an Inquirer exposé revealing that these families maintained private armed groups, including moonlighting soldiers and police.
From Jan. 12 to March 30, only 21 cases related to the election gun ban were recorded in the Cordillera, 10 of which occurred in Abra and seven in Kalinga province.
Loose firearms
In an April 2 interview, Magalong said it would be up to the police to decide whether to intensify operations against loose firearms—a measure he undertook in 2012 when he served as Cordillera police director.
However, he said there was no need to augment the police presence in Abra. According to the RJSCC, about 7,974 police officers have been assigned to ensure security during the Abra elections.
The Philippine Army also has units deployed along Abra’s borders to combat New People’s Army rebels in the area and can provide support when needed, said Army Brig. Gen. Dean Mark Mamaril, commander of the 501st Infantry Brigade, which operates in Abra and the Ilocos Region.
High-risk areas
No changes have been made to the Cordillera’s list of high-risk areas. The Abra towns of Bangued, Bucay, and Pilar remain under the orange category for intense political rivalries; while the municipalities of Lagayan, Pidigan, Tayum, Tineg, Dolores, and Lagangilang remain under the yellow category for their histories of election violence.
Comelec is also monitoring reports of vote-buying in the Cordillera, including allegations from the military that certain groups were distributing relief goods in Kalinga while campaigning for party list groups. However, no formal complaints have been filed, Torres said.
Lawyer Mae Richelle Belmes-Chaudhary, election officer of Apayao province and former Abra election officer, urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development to provide a list and schedule of its upcoming cash aid distributions under the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program, or Akap.
The distribution of aid is permitted during the election period but must be supervised by Comelec, she said.
