Valenzuela police probes ‘threat letters’

Northern Police District (NPD) Director Senior Superintendent Vidal Querol ordered yesterday a thorough investigation of an apparent ploy to disrupt tomorrow’s elections in Valenzuela City.

Querol’s order came after hundreds of supporters of the three rival political groups in the city complained of receiving letters allegedly from the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) and the New People’s Army (NPA).

In separate interviews with The STAR, incumbent Representative Magtanggol Gunigundo II, who is seeking a second term in the city’s second district under the People Power Coalition (PPC)-Lakas-NUCD and first district congressional bet Sherwin Gatchalian (Nationalist People’s Coalition) both said that their followers have received letters with black ribbons from the communist rebel group and the ABB urging them to boycott the elections. The letters also warned the voters of violence in their respective polling places.

Earlier, supporters of re-electionist Mayor Jose Emmanuel "Bobbit" Carlos (PPC-Lakas-KAMPI) complained of having received letters with black ribbons giving the same warning, supposedly signed by a Ka Liwayway Lualhati of the ABB.

However, Querol said that while authorities are not discounting the possibility that the letters came from the communist rebel group or its breakaway faction, he remarked that sending out hundreds of (threat) letters "does not fall under the usual working of the left."

"Normally, they would send one or two letters to just one person. But then again this might be the first time that they (NPA or ABB) have sent hundreds of letters," Querol told The STAR.

For his part, Valenzuela City Chief of Police Superintendent Nemesio Neron said that based on authorities’ initial findings, the letters "are the handiwork of a political" personality.

"It’s a dirty trick by a dirty politician," Neron said, asserting the "negative presence" of the NPA and the ABB in Valenzuela.

He cited the confiscation of hundreds of letters allegedly signed by a Ka Liwayway Lualhati of the ABB bearing the same warning with black ribbons last Thursday at the city’s post office. The letters, placed in ordinary white envelopes, were addressed to known supporters of Carlos. – Nikko Dizon