AGOO, La Union – The widow of slain former La Union 2nd district Rep. Eufranio ‘Franny’ Eriguel is seeking the assistance of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for the timely resolution of the brutal murder of the two-term lawmaker who was shot while delivering a speech in front of a crowd in Barangay Capas, here, Saturday night.
Incumbent 2nd district Rep. Zandra Y. Eriguel also requested the Chief Executive to bring back security detail because they already fear for their safety after the shooting to death of her husband right in front of a crowd that was gathered for the final salvo of gatherings in preparation for the May 14, 2018 synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
“We feel vulnerable at this time because of what happened. We want to ensure that the members of our family will be spared from whatever evil motives of the mastermind and the gunmen that is why we appeal to President Duterte to help us in our present predicament,” Rep. Eriguel stressed.
Lawyer Cherry Untalan, Rep. Eriguel’s chief of staff, revealed that the security details of the lawmaker were allegedly pulled out several days before the brutal murder of her husband that is why they did not have any available security detail at the time of the incident.
According to her, the supposed mastermind, who is a former barangay official of Capas, could not be considered as the one behind the incident because he was not the gunman that is why there is a need for the intervention of higher authorities for probers to be able to zero in the real motive and the people behind the said election-related violence.
Aside from politics, probers are allegedly looking into various angles of the case ranging from the late Eriguel’s acquaintances among others that could result to the immediate resolution of the high profile political case in the province.
Atty. Untalan explained that the deployment of police and military troops in the town will just be temporary because they will eventually be pulled out once the situation will stabilize, this, there is a need for law enforcement agencies to guarantee the safety and security of Rep. Eriguel and the members of her family from being exposed to similar violent incidents in the future.
Police authorities revealed that one of the persons of interest in the said case, a certain Felizardo Villanueva, a losing candidate for punong barangay in Capas, is now detained in the Agoo District jail for the conduct of an in-depth investigation relative to his involvement in the former lawmaker’s brutal murder considering that there are alleged pieces of evidence that were taken from him that will link him to the said incident.
The former lawmaker was delivering a speech in front of a huge crowd in Capas, when he was fired upon by still unidentified gunmen that caused his instantaneous death and the untimely demise of two of his alleged bodyguards.
Untalan claimed that Rep. Eriguel was able to bring the plight of her family to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque a few days ago and that she remains optimistic that the palace will come out with a concrete action relative to their plea for the immediate resolution of the case and the provision of sufficient security details for their family.
By Dexter A. See
