Gun-for-hire group could be behind La Union mayor’s slay — PNP

A gun-for-hire group could be behind the shooting that killed Mayor Alexander Buquing of Sudipen, La Union, Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesperson Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. said on Tuesday.

“Hindi pa natin nakita ‘yung (We haven’t seen yet the) definitive assessment but definitely these were well perpetrated by gun-for-hire elements kaya ang kautusan ng Chief PNP (that’s why the Chief PNP’s order is), we should be proactive by running after these gun-for-hire syndicates,” he said in a press briefing.

Buquing was killed in an ambush by still unidentified assailants on Monday night in Bangar, La Union.
PO2 Rolando Juanbe and his driver Boni Depdepen, who were with the mayor, also died from the shooting, while his wife Vice Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing was wounded from the incident.

READ: La Union town mayor, along with driver and cop, killed in ambush

Durana said that a special investigation task force has been created to probe the case.

He said the police are looking at all angles to find the motive for the killing, including politics, business, and personal affairs of the slain mayor.

Durana added that Buquing is not in the so-called narco-list, or the list of government officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. /je