2 suspects in Ilocos village head's slay nabbed

CAMP FLORENDO, La Union, Philippines – The suspected gunman and his cohort in last Tuesday’s killing of a re-electionist barangay chairman in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte were arrested in separate operations late Thursday by a police task force led by Senior Superintendent Marlou Chan, Ilocos Norte police director.

The suspects, Lordelito Torda and his accomplice Richard Borjal, were arrested in Sinait and San Vicente towns in Ilocos Sur late Thursday.

Murder charges have been filed against Borjal, Torda and another accomplice, Rexel Sison, who was arrested hours later after the killing.

All three were working as drivers and escorts of Sarrat Mayor Editho Mayor Balintona.

Borjal admitted that he was present at the scene when Francis Ganir Cariño, 49, re-electionist chairman of Barangay 2 San Agustin, was gunned down at around 8:50 p.m. Tuesday while having a drinking spree with several companions in the house of a friend in his barangay.

However, Borjal denied knowing the assailant. 

Several witnesses testified that Torda, one of Borjal’s companions then, was the one who allegedly shot Cariño. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe