Noy visits wake of slain Pangasinan town mayor

URBIZTONDO, Pangasinan, Philippines – President Aquino visited yesterday the wake of this town’s slain mayor, Ernesto Balolong Jr., a Liberal Party colleague, and inspected the site where he, along with two others, was gunned down last Saturday.

Aquino had a closed-door meeting with Balolong’s wife Mirla, the president of the town’s Liga ng mga Barangay, and two children, Volter, a councilor, and Zarena. The Balolong couple also has a five-year old son.

Aquino arrived via helicopter in nearby San Carlos City. From the wake, he proceeded to the area where Balolong, his police escort PO1 Eliseo Ulanday and a grocery store employee, Edmund Meneses, were killed. Three others were wounded in the attack.

Balolong, who was on his third and last term, was reported to be close to the President, although the mayor repeatedly denied this when he was still alive. Malacañang earlier had lifted Balolong’s suspension order in an administrative case before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Last March, Balolong was again placed under preventive suspension by the provincial board in another administrative case but the Office of the President again issued a stay order so his suspension was not carried out.

Sources said prior to entering politics, Balolong worked as a finance officer of a company owned by the Aquino family. 

Two suspects – farmer Eduardo de Guzman, 65, and mechanic Marito Sarmiento, 38 – were arrested in less than 24 hours after the killing and subsequently charged.

Second district Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, presidential cousin and former fifth district congressman Mark Cojuangco, Sta. Barbara Mayor Carlito Zaplan, Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Gregory Perez IV, San Carlos City Mayor Julier Resuello, former vice governor and LP-Pangasinan spokesman Oscar Lambino, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr. were around during the President’s visit.

The town’s vice mayor, Martin Raul Sison, a known political rival of Balolong and who assumed the mayoral post last Monday, was conspicuously absent during the President’s visit.

Police have yet to establish the motive behind Balolong’s killing.