Stop to violent Abra politics pushed with Valera conviction

BANGUED, Abra -- The conviction of former Abra Governor Vicente “Vicsyd” Valera, Wednesday for being the brains in the murder of slain former Congressman Luis “Chito” Bersamin was hoped to put closure to violent politics of the province even as families of the two protagonists showed anguish and happiness over the court decision. 

Valera, along with his co-accused RufinoPanday and Leo Bello, were sentenced to reclusion perpetua ” (40 years imprisonment) by Judge Roselyn Rabara-Tria of the Regional Trial Court Branch 94 in Quezon City for the gunslaying of Bersamin and his bodyguard, SPO1 Adelfo Ortega, during a wedding at Mount Carmel Church in New Manila, Quezon City on Dec. 16, 2006.

Valera, Panday, and Bello were also convicted of frustrated murder for wounding Bersamin’s driver, Allan Sawadan, and meted out an additional 12 years in jail.

“We are saddened because he (Valera) is a relative. But justice should prevail and he should pay the price of the crime he did,” said Abra Governor Eustaquio “Takits” Bersamin, who is the slain congressman’s brother but also a nephew of the convicted former governor.

For her part, AbraVice Gov. Rosario Chari Bersamin, the daughter of the murder victim in the case, described the decision as unexpected.

She said that while she is happy with the decision of the court, it will not bring back the life of her father. “The most important thing is that they were given justice,” she added.

Vicsyd Valera, was Lagangilang’s brightest hometown boy. He became a lawyer in 1976 and earned a lot of friends in the political scene. When “People Power” swept across the nation in 1986, Valera was appointed Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Capitol of Abra, while his nephew Chito Bersamin was appointed as OIC-mayor of the capital town of Bangued.

When elections came in 1998, Vicsyd was elected governor and reelected to a second term from 1992-1995.

Vicsyd went on to run for congressman and won in the 1995 elections and held the position until 2001, during which, Chito Bersamin, took his place as governor.

Being relatives, they maintained political control over Abra, exchanging these top elective positions for years.

But a year before the 2007 elections, the political climate changed and the relationship between the two soured with Bersamin being rumored to run against Valera for the governorship.

That electoral showdown never materialized with Valera eliminating his political rival and relative.

The conviction of Valera for the murder of Bersamin is hoped to put a closure to a bitter episode in Abra’s political history involving its two biggest politicians of their time.

Chito has been known in the province as a peaceful man, who helped resolve crimes in the province and put education as his priority with the end goal of solving poverty.

His murder was the punctuation point to political killings that have gone on but were seldom reported in national media prior to his death.

“I was silently living in the US when that happened. I felt bad for the death of my brother which was just because of politics and it saddened me more that the accused is a close family relative,” Gov. TakitsBersamin recalled.

Before the 2007 elections, Takits returned to Abra and run as governor with the goal of bringing peace in the province.

Political violence spread during the 2007 election season, but this time, they were exposed, earning for Abra the media tag “killing fields of the North.”

An outpouring of support from Abrenians, saddened by the murder of their congressman, got Takits elected.

When Takits was installed as governor, he vowed to unite Abrenians and end political killings as a tribute to his slain brother.

It was a tall order but the new governor had enlisted the support of the police and the military in restoring order.

By election year 2013, with the help of then Police Regional Office – Cordillera director, Benjamin Magalong, zero casualty was recorded in the province.

Takits said he had reached out to his brother’s killer.  -- With a report from Freddie G. Lazaro