Slain Cotabato City ex-cop chief buried in Cotabato City

Cotabato map | INQUIRER.net

COTABATO CITY––Relatives and friends cried for justice as they sent retired Police Colonel Rolen Balquin, the public order, and security chief in this city, to his final resting place on Monday, March 28, eight days after unidentified men gunned him down.

Balquin, who belonged to the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Tagapaglingkod Class of 1987” and former PNPA commandant of cadets, was buried at the Marian Hills memorial park in Barangay Tamontaka, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao Monday, supposedly his 61st birthday.

Relatives wore white shirts that read: “To those who abuse: The sin is yours, the crime is yours, and the shame is yours.”

Bureau of Fire Protection personnel performed a water salute, and Cotabato City police personnel did a gun salute to the fallen former policeman. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General after he retired and bowed out of service.

He was to attend a ribbon-cutting program for a tea shop along Sinsuat Avenue in this city when unidentified men opened fire on him. He was seated on the front seat of his service vehicle.

Maj. Mark Joseph Porras, spokesperson of the Cotabato City PNP, said police had created the Special Investigation Task Group Balquin and had gathered evidence that could help build up the case against “persons of interest” in the murder.

He said cases had been filed against the suspects, whom he refused to name since they remained at large.

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