Benguet mayor seeks police help after getting death threats

Tuba Mayor Ignacio Rivera. Photo from TUBA-Municipal Government Facebook page

BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Ignacio Rivera of Tuba, Benguet has reported receiving death threats through his mobile phone on Tuesday, police said.

Rivera has sought help from police after receiving text messages warning from an unknown sender.

Among the text messages Rivera received read: “Mayor ignacio? hindi lahat ng oras at panahon ay sayo?? huag kang magkumpyansa na ikaw parin mananalo isa lang ang buhay mu mayor machempuhan karin? ito ang tandaan mu mayor maraming paraan para mawala ang taong katulad mu mayor Ignacio..??”

It was followed by another text message telling Rivera: “pera lang ang katapat ng buhay mo mr ignacio?”

Police said they were investigating the matter.

Chief Insp. James Acod, Tuba police chief, said an initial investigation showed that the threats may not be politically motivated.

“There is no history of violent political rivalries in the town and even in Benguet as a whole,” he said.

Acod said they could not provide a police escort to the mayor at the moment. He said there was a process that has to be followed in line with the Commission on Elections rules before they could provide a police escort to the mayor.

“What we can do is to provide police visibility in the areas where the mayor is,” he said.

The Inquirer tried to reach Rivera for comments but had yet to receive a reply./lzb