Aquino visits wake of slain Pangasinan town mayor

President Benigno Aquino III. MALACANANG PHOTO BUREAU

URBIZTONDO, Pangasinan—President Aquino condoled with the family of assassinated Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr. of Urbiztondo on Friday.

The mayor was shot and killed by two gunmen last Saturday on the eve of his wedding anniversary.

The president arrived at the Balolong family wake at 1:45 p.m. in a motorcade, after landing about a couple of hours earlier in a helicopter at a university in San Carlos City.

Mr. Aquino proceeded straight to the casket of the slain mayor where he spent a minute in prayer.

He later spoke to Balolong’s widow, Mirla, who was surrounded by her son Voltaire and his wife Angela, and her daughter, Zarena, before they adjourned to the family home. Presidential security barred the media from covering the meeting.

Balolong, a Liberal Party member, and his police security detail, PO1 Eliseo Ulanday, were attacked and killed at the rear end of the Urbiztondo convention center, which was being prepared for the mayor’s June 8 wedding anniversary party, as well as the wedding of his son, Councilor Voltaire Balolong.

Supermarket electrician Edmund Meneses was also killed by the hail of bullets, police said. Four other people were injured in the attack.

Two suspects were arrested on Saturday night in Pangasinan.