PNP intensifies security in Agoo, Sudipen during COC filing

October 14, 2018 Provincial

SAN FERNANDO CITY, LA UNION – The towns of Agoo and Sudipen in La Union are under the tight security of
policemen as political bets file their certificates of candidacy (COCs) from October 11 to 17, 2018.
Chief Inspector Silverio Ordinado Jr., La Union police information officer, said that personnel from the Police
Mobile Force (PMF) have been deployed in the area after the ambush-slay of Sudipen Mayor Alexander Buquing, his police escort and driver, and the wounding of the mayor’s wife, Vice Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing.
“Two police personnel will be assigned at the municipal election office to secure the area aside from the existing
personnel of police mobile force who were already deployed there after the incident,” Ordinado said.
PMF personnel were also deployed in Agoo and two policemen were assigned at the town’s election office.
Interior and local government Secretary Eduardo Año is considering recommending La Union to the Commission on Election as under poll hotspot or area of immediate concern due to the ambush of Buquing and the May 12 killing of former La Union 2nd District Representative Eufranio Eriguel.
Eriguel, husband of incumbent Rep. Sandra Young-Eriguel and father of Agoo Mayor Stefannie Ann Eriguel, was killed before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections while speaking at a campaign sortie in barangay
Capas in Agoo on May 12,2018.
The killing of Eriguel and Buquing are allegedly politically motivated.
Lawyer Joel Gines, La Union election supervisor, said the Comelec will be strictly monitoring situations in Agoo
and Sudipen from the filing of COCs up to the start of campaign period if they would be put under areas of immediate concern.
Ordinado said two police personnel will also be deployed each in the remaining 17 municipal election offices and
in this city.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing was already sworn in By Gov. Francisco Emanuel Ortega III as her husband’s successor and Councilor Mandy Adviento as vice mayor of Sudipen.
Wendy was first councilor before she became vice mayor when she succeeded then Vice Mayor Edwin Belisoa who died of illness. Adviento was then the number two councilor. ERWIN BELEO / ABN