Reward offered for capture of killer of Bulacan ex-vice mayor

PANDI, Bulacan—Mayor Enrico Roque offered on Friday a P100,000 bounty for the arrest of the gunman who killed former Vice Mayor Roberto Rivera, a supporter of Roque’s rival in the May 9 mayoral race.

Roque put up the reward after police identified Ariel Orolfo as the man who shot Rivera last Monday night, after he was picked out by witnesses from a police photo gallery.

READ: Ex-Bulacan town vice mayor shot dead

The police also filed a murder complaint against Orolfo and have applied for an arrest warrant, said Chief Supt. Rudy Lacadin, Central Luzon police director.

Roque is seeking a third term in office and is running against Celestino Marquez of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) Party, who was supported by Rivera.

“I had nothing to do with the murder of Rivera. The truth will come out, and my conscience is clear. I am not a bad person, and I am not stupid enough to order a hit knowing full well I would immediately become a suspect,” the mayor said.

Chief Insp. Victor Bernabe, Pandi police chief, said Orolfo was suspected to be a gun-for-hire, who has outstanding warrants of arrest for other murder charges in Bulacan. RAM