2 alleged gunmen in killing of Pangasinan town mayor arrested

Urbiztondo town Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr. Photo from urbiztondopangasinan.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Two alleged killers of a town mayor in Pangasinan were arrested before dawn Thursday ‎in Sta. Rosa, Laguna province, a police official confirmed.

Superintendent Pergentino Malabed, Sta. Rosa chief of police, told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview that the unidentified gunmen were arrested during an operation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on a fighting cock farm in Barangay (village) Macabling.

Six were brought to the police station, including a female around 4 a.m. Thursday but Mabaled said only two were identified as Urbiztondo Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr.’s assailants.

Killed in the shooting were Balolong and his police security detail, Police Officer 1 Eliseo Ulanday, and supermarket electrician, Edmund Meneses.

The victims were shot at the Urbiztondo Convention Center just across Balolong’s house by the armed men aboard a vehicle‎.

Balolong was there to inspect the venue for the reception of his 25th wedding anniversary and the wedding of his son, Councilor Volter Balolong, that was supposed to be held on June 8.

Injured were Balolong’s aide, Rex Ferrer, 52; Jose Vigilia, 18, and Jimboy Palisoc, 19, both supermarket employees; and Rogelio Esguerra, 46, a taho (soy drink) vendor.

Malabed said the men will be turned over to the CIDG headquarters in Camp Crame on Thursday.

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