LINGAYEN , Philippines – Despite the arrest of two suspects, President Aquino wants the police to continue digging deeper into the killing of Urbiztondo Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr., his party-mate at the Liberal Party.
Senior Superintendent Sterling Raymund Blanco, officer-in-charge of the provincial police, told The STAR on Saturday that Aquino issued the order when he visited Balolong’s wake on Friday.
Aquino also inspected the area where the mayor and two others, Police Officer 1 Eliseo Ulanday and supermarket employee Edmund Meneses, were shot dead.
“That’s why we are looking carefully at the motive for the killing, either political, business or in his personal dealings,†Blanco said.
He said the President is very much concerned about the case and told them he does not want the tension to escalate.
“For him, the peace and order in Pangasinan is paramount,†Blanco said adding Aquino condemned the killing and described it as a brazen act.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima was here on Saturday to meet local police officials in a closed-door conference.
Aquino talked to the bereaved family of Balolong and the police, Blanco said.
The President asked the police about the progress of the case and the actions they have taken to solve it.
Blanco said members of the special investigation task group formed to solve the Balolong killing are doing their best to dig deeper into the case.