LUCENA CITY—A practicing lawyer and member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here seeks to have a security training for his colleagues to ensure their life and safety from potential attackers as he disclosed his close brush with death on November 16.
In a privileged speech during Monday’s regular session, SP member Ferdinand Talabong told his colleagues in a jam-packed session hall here his close brush with danger, when five men tried to set him up for a possible attempt on his life.
“Initially, my staff indicated three farmer-looking men standing near Viewers cellphone repair center across my law office. They appeared to be waiting for my arrival. At first, I doubted it and just went ahead to my court hearing at the regional trial court (RTC). But when I was already at the RTC, I got worried so I asked two policemen to accompany me aboard my car. When we got back to the office, the three men standing near Viewers were joined by two others,” Talabong, still visibly shaken, told his fellow SP members.
The two policemen who accompanied him were SPO2 Enrico Abcede and SPO2 Melvin Sese of the Quezon police provincial office.
Talabong said the five men later moved away discreetly while he and his two policemen-escorts aboard a van followed them walking in a single file a few meters around the next block. When the men caught sight of his car and its plate number and sensing they were being followed, they instantly parted ways and scampered away.
“I didn’t know these men and why they were stalking me. I feared for my life and safety and almost made me decide to abort the holding of the Color Fun Run event ‘Takbo Kontra Droga’scheduled on November 19. Later, I also went to [Rep.] Danilo [E.] Suarez to seek his advice and he told me to take it easy,” Talabong said after conferring with Quezon Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Roderick Armamento and Lucena Police Chief Supt. Antonio Maclang.
Suarez is House minority floor leader and the father of Quezon Gov. David Suarez.
Asked if he sensed any possible threat in relation with his private law practice or politics, Talabong told the BusinessMirror he had no idea and he had not received any death threat so far.
Talabong attended Monday’s regular session escorted by two policemen from the police provincial office.
Talabong, chairman of the SP committee on ways and means, earlier cited in his privilege speech on October 2 the slaying of Quezon Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Raymund Luna and Masbate Provincial Board Member Junie Lopez.
In his impassioned speech, Talabong asked his SP colleagues to condemn the slaying of the two public officials and to pass a resolution expressing sympathy and sorrow for the tragedies.
Luna—who hails from Lopez, Quezon—is a soft-spoken and friendly man from a family of educators, according to SP member and former mayor Isaias Ubana.
On Monday Ubana sympathized with his threatened colleague, saying, “Serving one’s country is always fraught with danger. We need to be vigilant and ready.”
Ubana said they have to study the need for security measures and additional security personnel and not just clerical and technical staff for the SP.
Image credits: John Bello