‘Abra police seek community cooperation amid killings’

BAGUIO CITY (March 27, 2025)-- Abra policemen are seeking support and cooperation from the community amid the recent spate of killings in the province of late.

Only from February 28, 2025 to March 26, 2025, there have been at least eight victims of killings, most of the victims connected to politician-candidates in the municipal and provincial governments.

The latest fatalities are a teacher and a dentist shot by an identified gunman late afternoon Wednesday in Bangued, the provincial capital.

Efforts are underway, the Abra provincial police promised, while citing that together with other government agencies, steps are being undertaken to solve the killings and gun-related attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Abra police provincial director Col. Gilbert Fati-ig stressed they are committed to maintain peace and order in the province.

"...ket nasken ti suporta ken kooperasyon yo iti daytoy nga ganwat," (and your support and cooperation is needed for this objective) the Abra police provincial command vowed. 

It also urged citizens to report or provide any information that may lead to the identification of the suspects including masterminds behind these attacks and killings.

While Abra acting Governor Russel Bragas appealed to Abrenians to “choose peace and not to fall prey to maneuvers and manipulations”.  He urged the people to join hands in denouncing all acts of violence while remaining vigilant.  "Risky but if our very future is at stake, wouldn’t it worth the risk? If not you and me, who would? If not now, when?" the official stressed.

Bragas said that whether these are election related or not, the cowardly acts of violence have no place in a supposedly civilized society. He stressed that they are all crimes just the same. "They destroy dreams, opportunities and hopes for a better life in the future or for a better place to live in," he continued.

The acting governor also urged people to show empathy to each other and cooperate purposely with the authorities.

He also called on the PNP and other law enforcement agencies and instrumentalities to be deliberate, yet decisive and unrelenting in going after not only the perpetrators but the personalities behind each of what he described as savageries. "...if warranted, with the full force of the law," he added.