Abra governor to spend New Year at Crame

Abra Gov. Vicente Valera will have to spend the New Year inside the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center at Camp Crame.

Charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives were filed against Valera before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office the other night by the PNP Traffic Management Group (PNP-TMG).

However, the prosecutor assigned to the case has yet to set the needed bail-bond for Valera’s temporary liberty and court personnel are no longer around to process his papers.

"There are many requirements, papers to be drawn up and signed and the employees are on holiday break," a TMG officer said.

Also a suspect in the Dec. 16 murder of Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin at Mt. Carmel Church in New Manila, Quezon City, Valera was apprehended and later invited for police questioning the other night by TMG anti-carjacking operatives because Valera was driving a vehicle without license plates.

Valera’s silver Chevorlet Suburban van, when checked by TMG operatives, yielded an MP5 submachine gun, six .45 caliber pistols and a hand grenade.

Chief Inspector Joseph Orsos, TMG Legal Division chief, said the permits covering the firearms seized from Valera and his bodyguards had been revoked since last year.

Orson said PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon had ordered the revocation of all gun permits in Abra following a spate of violent incidents allegedly instigated by private armed groups of politicians in the province.

"We asked him to show the documents for his firearms but what he gave us was the memorandum of the cancellation of PTCFOR (Permit to Carry Firearms Outside the Residence) in the province of Abra. Valera incriminated himself," Orsos said.

Because of this, Valera was placed under arrest for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. — Jaime Laude