Valera to face lifestyle check, but not over Bersamin slay

The suspected mastermind in the killing of Abra Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr. will face a lifestyle check to give the government details on his reported unexplained wealth, the chief police investigator said yesterday.

However, Senior Superintendent Benjamin delos Santos, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group high-profile crime division chief, said the lifestyle check on Abra Gov. Vicente Valera was not connected with the killing of Bersamin in Quezon City last Dec. 16.

"San nya nakuha yung pera nya?" he asked. "Valera could also be investigated by the Anti-Money Laundering Council for possible money laundering."

Delos Santos said the lifestyle check was in compliance with an agreement among local government officials in Abra signed in 2005.

The local executives agreed to a lifestyle check to ensure that no government official in the province was involved in illegal and corrupt activities, he added.

Delos Santos said under the agreement, the use of Internal Revenue Allotment was also supposed to be audited to ensure that local government officials properly used the funds.

Valera bought his P1.695-million silver gray Chevrolet Suburban on Nov. 30 and paid in cash, he added.

Under the anti-money laundering law, an individual is required to report to Anti-Money Laundering Council any transaction involving more than P500,000.

Investigators are also looking into the reports that Valera gave expensive vehicles to his "friend" Hergielyn Dimagiba and to her father.

Despite allegations that Valera funded the murder of Bersamin, police have yet to get concrete evidence to pin him down. Bersamin was shot in cold blood at Mt. Carmel Church in New Manila in Quezon City last Dec. 16.

Director Jesus Verzosa, PNP directorial staff chief, said they are building up circumstantial evidence against Valera for the murder of Bersamin.

Valera, whom police stopped while traveling in his expensive Chevrolet without a license plate and with a siren blaring, was arrested after officers found him in possession of unlicensed firearms and a grenade.

He and his bodyguards were eventually charged with illegal possession of firearms.

They later posted bail. — Cecille Suerte Felipe