More security men assigned to Masbate congressional bet

MASBATE CITY — The provincial police has provided additional security to a woman congressional candidate in the third district of Masbate after a failed assassination attempt which left three of her escorts killed and two others wounded on Friday last week.

Chief Superintendent Jaime Lasar said over the weekend that he has ordered Senior Superintendent Romeo Mapalo to provide additional security to Rizalina Seachon, a congressional bet of the Nationalist People’s Alliance (NPC) after the failed assassination attempt in Barangay Nabangig in Palanas town, a coastal town bout 50 kms west of Masbate City.

"We are continuing our search and investigation of the political armed group responsible of the ambush," said Lasar during a radio interview over dzRC here the other day.

Lasar believes the attempt on the life of Seachon is politically motivated and carried out by a private armed group maintained by certain politicians in the island-province.

Lasar admitted that Mario Espinos, presidential assistant for Bicol affairs, has asked him and Major General John Bolhayon, commanding general of the 9th Infantry Division based in Pili town, Camarines to place the entire province under Comelec control before the May 10 elections.

Zacarias Zaragoza Jr., regional director of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), said that the two island provinces of Masbate and Catanduanes as well as the towns of Matnog and Bacon District in Sorsogon were placed under Comelec control during the 2001 elections due to intense political rivalries among political clans.

Police said that at least 53 people have already been killed while 124 were wounded in the Bicol since the campaign period started. — Celso Amo