The widow of former Rep. Eufranio “Franny” Eriguel of the Second District of La Union reminded the Philippine National Police (PNP) of its responsibility to ensure the security and safety of the people, especially those who face active threats on their lives.
Incumbent Rep. Sandra Young Eriguel said La Union PNP pulled out the security detail of the family days before Franny was slain died on May 12.
In a privilege speech on May 28, Eriguel recounted the events leading to what she said was the “murder-assassination” of her husband in Barangay Capas, Agoo, La Union. She recalled that days before the attack, their police security detail were all pulled out as ordered by PNP-RO1 Regional Director Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula.
She also said PNP Chief Inspector Alfredo Padilla Jr., the former police chief of Agoo, failed to act on the request of the barangay chairman of Capas for police security assistance during their scheduled ‘miting de avance’ on May 12.
The widow said Eriguel and three of his companions died while eight other people were wounded after a group of nine men armed with automatic weapons attacked the former lawmaker while delivering a speech in Barangay Capas on the night of May 12.
An autopsy report showed that the late legislator sustained eight gunshot wounds on his head, chest, arm and leg. Based on police statements, high-caliber bullets from M16 and M14 rifles were used during the attack.
Eriguel said days before the ambush, their police security detail were pulled out one by one. The Eriguel family received police security after Franny survived a failed attempt on his life on April 30, 2016. An improvised explosive device planted on a motorcycle exploded as his convoy passed by along a road in Agoo, La Union, a few meters from the family residence, resulting in the death of one supporter. The bombing remains unsolved to this day.
Eriguel said they asked Senior Supt. Genaro Sapiera, then the provincial director of the La Union PNP, not to pull out all the security detail amid the active threats on their lives. Stefanie Eriguel, one of the Eriguel couple’s children, is the incumbent mayor of Agoo.
Sapiera insisted that he had orders from Sapitula, the regional director of PNP-Regional Office 1, to pull out all the police security detail.
The barangay captain of Capas also wrote a letter dated May 7, 2018, to Padilla, then the Agoo police chief, requesting for security assistance.
“If it were not for the orders of RD Sapitula to pull out our police security detail and the ineptness of then-COP Padilla for failing to act on the letter of Barangay Capas for security assistance, the shooting incident could have been prevented and my husband would be alive today,” Eriguel said.
In response, Sapitula said the security detail was pulled out because Franny was no longer an incumbent government official.
Eriguel said she did not wish to point fingers at the police but merely wanted to point out the failure of the local PNP in preserving the peace and order situation in the Second District of La Union that led to the murder-assassination of her husband.
“We want an end to political violence. That is why I urged my colleagues in Congress to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the murder-assassination of my husband,” Eriguel said during her privilege speech. “We can prevent this type of senseless killing. I aim to strengthen our police force and not to demoralize them. Our police personnel should be our main defense against the evils that dwell within our communities.”