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BAGUIO CITY — A complaint was filed against the mayor and vice mayor of Pilar town in Abra province for human trafficking, while some of their security aides were slapped with separate complaints for disobedience to persons in authority in connection with a shootout that led to a standoff with policemen last week.
In a statement on Thursday, the Abra police said Mayor Mark Roland Somera and his sister, Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Somera Disono, would also face a complaint for unauthorized employment of bodyguards.
Police Maj. Edwin Sergio, Abra provincial police office information officer, said the 12 security aides, all of them former soldiers, issued affidavits that they were lured into undergoing training as members of barangay peacekeeping action teams in Pilar.
“But they ended up as personal bodyguards of the two officials,” Sergio told the Inquirer in an interview on Thursday, explaining the complaint of violation of Republic Act No. 9208 as amended by RA 10364, or the Expanded Anti-trafficking in Persons Act, filed against the Somera siblings.
Somera and Disono, who also face charges from the Commission on Elections for allegedly violating the election gun ban, have yet to issue a statement on the complaints lodged against them.
The complaints, which were filed in the provincial prosecutor’s office on Wednesday, stemmed from an election checkpoint offense that turned violent on March 29.
Pilar police exchanged fire with passengers of a Toyota Hiace van that sped past the checkpoint put up in the town center. The van was apparently trailing the vehicle of Disono, who had just left the town hall and was allowed to pass through the checkpoint barrier without an inspection.
Chase
Policemen gave chase after a bullet hit a police vehicle. The van collided with several vehicles, and almost hit two members of the Police Regional Mobile Force Battalion who were manning the checkpoint, before it proceeded to Disono’s residential compound, where the van passengers sought sanctuary.
A two-day standoff ensued until Abra Gov. Jocelyn Bernos and the police negotiated the release of the van and the remains of a former Marine soldier, Sandee Boy Bermudo, who was killed in the gunfight.
Disono’s group uploaded on Facebook a security camera footage showing the police surrounding her home, and appealing for help, saying they were under attack after her convoy was ambushed.
Some of Disono’s security men have also been charged with breaking election regulations.
Jericho Toreno Bufil, Robert Boreta Toreno and Emmanuel Nicanor Valera disregarded the checkpoint and were charged with violation of Article No. 151 of the Revised Penal Code, or serious disobedience to lawful orders of agent of a person in authority. Bermudo was also posthumously included in that complaint.
Bufil is also facing multiple charges for attempted murder in connection with the gunfight. A weapon recovered by investigators from the van was positive for gunpowder residue, indicating it was fired
“The cases filed are the product of the evidence and testimonies that our police investigators were able to gather. Those involved individuals will be made to submit themselves to the judicial proceeding,” Philippine National Police chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said in a statement.
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