Slain poll exec buried

AGOO, La Union — The murdered election registrar of Bauang town was buried in the municipal cemetery here last Saturday afternoon with his family still crying for justice.

Felimon "Butch" Asperin Jr. was buried after necrological rites at the Agoo Civic Center attended by Gov. Victor Ortega, Agoo Mayor Eufranio Eriguel, Bauang Mayor Martin de Guzman, provincial board members of the second district and hundreds of residents.

During the necrological rites, Ortega reiterated that he was offering a P300,000 reward for the immediate arrest of the killers and mastermind of the Jan. 12 murder of Asperin.

Eriguel and De Guzman have each pledged P100,000, bringing the total reward to P500,000.

"The perpetrators are making a challenge. It is just like they are saying ‘catch me if you can’ because they did the crime in broad daylight," Ortega said. 

During the rites, the local officials posthumously awarded Asperin a plaque of recognition.

Asperin’s family asked the police to speed up the investigation and arrest those responsible for his murder.

Relatives and residents displayed streamers and wore T-shirts with the words "Justice for Butch."

After the five-hour necrological rites, Asperin’s remains were brought to the Agoo Basilica for a one-hour Mass.

The Task Force Asperin was earlier reported to have already identified the gunmen and the mastermind, but withheld their identities pending the filing of formal charges against them.