Abra town politics heat up

BAGUIO CITY — The political atmosphere in one of the towns of Abra Province is slowly but surely rising as big political families who were allies in the last polls apparently have broken ties in supporting rival barangay candidates.

However, Cordillera Regional Police director Brig. General David K. Peredo still is optimistic that the situation in the municipality of Bucay "is still controllable", as he has ordered the Abra police leadership to institute measures to tame down the tension.

The Philippine Army, meanwhile, has reportedly vowed to increase its presence in Bucay by way of deploying a tank to show government control and help ease the rising tension.

The clash between patrolling policemen versus a group of armed men at sitio Nagcasanglan, Barangay Layugan last 9 October 2023 where a certain Romnick Balmaceda died might just be an opening salvo of the "fierce political rivalry Abra-style."

Balmaceda is reportedly under the wing of incumbent Bucay town mayor Jay Dominador C. Go, whose wife Ma. Cristina Valera-Go, a former barangay chairman in a village in Bangued capital town, is seeking a barangay chairman post unopposed in Bucay.

Ma. Cristina is a daughter of Abra Governor Dominic Valera and sister of Abra Vice Governor Ma. Jocelyn Valera Bernos.

The anti-Go camp claim the incumbent mayor's camp had forcibly eased out barangay bets into challenging their own bets for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on 30 October 2023.

Meantime, the Commission on Elections in Abra confirmed that 44 Abra teachers — 13 from Bucay; 14 from Pilar; three in Lagayan; six in Lagangilang and eight in Bangued — are preparing for the polls.

At least 122 candidates for different positions throught the province have "voluntarily withdrawn, Comelec-Abra records have also shown.

However, provincial election supervisor Atty. Richelle Belmes believed the situation is generally peaceful with exception to Bucay and some reports in Pilar, and Bangued, "with alleged terrorism and intimidation to those who already filed their certificate of candidacy."