Press Release
April 20, 2010

NP COORDINATOR IN ILOCOS NORTE SHOT DEAD
Villar, NP condemn poll violence

Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Manny Villar yesterday condemned the brutal murder of one of the party's coordinators in Ilocos Norte, as he called on the police and the military to step up their campaign against election-related violence.

Reports reaching the NP headquarters said Andres Peralta, a coordinator of the party in Nueva Era in the northern Luzon province, was shot dead Monday afternoon in Barangay Macayepyep in Banna town.

"Another senseless killing, another valuable life lost. The election is a democratic process, not an exercise in impunity. We at the NP condemn the killing of Peralta which, once again, has proven that violence still pervades our system of politics," Villar said.

"I call on the police and the military to act swiftly on the murder of Peralta and countless others involving poll-related violence. A breakdown in the peace and order situation this coming elections is a breakdown in democracy."

Villar said that members of the NP were the first victims of election-related violence even before the campaign period began.

Last December, Barangay Captain Wilbert "Dodong" Origines, ABC president and NP candidate for vice mayor in Taganaan town, Surigao del Norte, was gunned down and later died due to complications from the gunshot wounds.

Also in the same month, four still unidentified armed men gunned down a convoy of NP members and killed Barangay Chairman Joen Canete, the party's candidate for councilor in the town of Dingras.

Also injured in the incident were board member Dr. Robert De Castro, Councilor Jimboy Albano, SPO2 Cesar Sabado, Joel Rosqueta, Fernando Sebastian and Gaudencio Teodoro.

Another senseless death was that of Cipriano "Bobong" Albores, a former kagawad of Kinangan, Malita, Davao del Sur and an organizer of the Manny Villar for President Movement in the province. He was gunned down on December 28 by two still unidentified assailants.

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