P10M raised for arrest of gunmen in La Union exec’s murder
TARGETTING CONVOY Vice Mayor Al-Fred Concepcion and his daughter, Mayor Aleli Concepcion, of Balaoan, La Union, were on their way to the town hall when armed men fired at their two-vehicle convoy on Nov. 14 last year. The vice mayor was killed in the attack. —PHOTO COURTESY OF BALAOAN PNP
SAN FERNANDO CITY — The family of slain Balaoan Vice Mayor Al-Fred Concepcion has raised to P10 million the reward for the arrest of his killers.
The family increased the initial P2-million reward following the arrest of the suspects in the Dec. 22 murder of Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe after a P50-million bounty was announced, according to La Union Board Member Carlo Castor Concepcion, the slain vice mayor’s son.
Batocabe and his police escort, SPO1 Orlando Diaz, were shot dead at a gift-giving activity for senior citizens and persons with disability in Daraga town, Albay province, where he was running for mayor in the May elections.
Funds from friends
“The [Balaoan reward] will come from friends and relatives. La Union Gov. [Francisco Emmanuel] Ortega [III] will also help,” said Concepcion.
Vice Mayor Concepcion and his aide, Michael Ulep, were killed on Nov. 14 last year when armed men fired at his two-vehicle convoy while they were on their way to the Balaoan town hall.
Concepcion’s daughter, Mayor Aleli Concepcion, and eight others were wounded during the attack.
Almost two months after the incident, police had yet to arrest a suspect, according to Chief Insp. Silverio Ordinado, La Union police spokesperson.
“We continue to work on the case. We have been implementing search warrants and the confiscated firearms have been examined to see if these guns may have been used in the Balaoan shooting,” Ordinado said.
“But ballistic analysis takes time because we have to be take the guns to Metro Manila,” he said.
NBI probe
At the family’s request, the National Bureau of Investigation is now looking into the shooting incident, said Board Member Concepcion.
“So far, we are satisfied with the NBI [handling of the] investigation,” he said without giving details because these were confidential.
He also said the attack on his father and his sister was politically motivated. “There’s no other reason, given that Balaoan is a drug-cleared town and one of the most peaceful towns in the province,” he said.
Concepcion is now running for the town’s vice mayoral post against his uncle, former Mayor Boy Ostrea, while his sister, Aleli, is seeking reelection against retired police Chief Supt. Pedro Ubaldo Jr. —Gabriel Cardinoza
