Slain Sudipen’s mayor’s widow runs for mayor

By Erwin Beleo

SUDIPEN, La Union — The widow of slain mayor, Alexander Buquing, filed on Tuesday her certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor of this town

Wendy Joy Buquing, elected vice mayor in the 2016 polls, is now the mayor of this town by succession following the ambush on her husband, which she survived last Oct. 1 in Bangar town, this province.

She filed her COC to run for mayor under the administration’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party.

Meanwhile, police have not yet declared whether or not the assassination of her husband, which also resulted in the killing of his driver Bonifacio Depdepen and police escort Police Officer 2 Rolando Juanbe, was politically motivated.

Police on Oct. 10 arrested one of the five alleged gunmen in the killing of Boquing and his two aides.

Senior Supt Herminio S Tadeo, Jr., officer in charge of PNP region 1, reported that Rosendo Obedoza Sibayan, 29 of Butubot Norte, Balaoan town, was caught in his hideout during the implementation of a search warrant for violation of RA 10591 known as Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Tadeo said Sibayan was one of the gunmen who attacked and killed Buquing and his two bodyguards last October 1. Also killed also in the ambush were PO2 Rolando Juanbe and driver Boni Depdepen. Buquing’s wife Wendy Joy Buquing, the incumbent vice mayor, was wounded.

Reports said personnel of the La Union Police Provincial Office implemented search warrant no. SCC-2018-42 for violation of RA 10591 dated October 8, 2018 that was issued by Judge Jaime L Dojillo Jr of RTC Branch 57, San Carlos City, Pangasinan against Sibayan.

Police confiscated from the suspect six live ammunition and a fired cartridge for cal. 5.56 bullet.

The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) created to investigate the killing of Sudipen mayor said that Sibayan was the gunman among the five suspects behind the mayor’s murder, as they gathered from the suspect himself that he was the one who pulled the trigger.

The SITG further disclosed that Sibayan, also known as “Tukak,” was previously charged with the cases of frustrated murder and murder that were both dismissed by the trial courts.

Tadeo said Sibayan was also charged with homicide in 2009 where he served his sentence through probation. S0ibayan was also affiliated as a member of the known OMO Gun-for-Hire Group which operates gun-for-hire and gun-running activities in La Union, said Tadeo.

“The Police Regional Office 1 is exerting all its efforts to arrest all the suspects and give justice to the families of the victims. At the same time, all personnel are on alert especially so that we are on the onset of election period,” Tadeo said.

He added that Senior Supt. Ricardo Layug, Jr, provincial director of the La Union Police Provincial Office, said that the SITG is doubling its efforts in locating the remaining four suspects involved in the killing of mayor Buquing.

Tadeo appealed to the public to report any information that can help in the arrest of the other suspects.

The Balaoan police station has already filed two counts of murder and violation of Republic Act 10591 against Sibayan while the current Sudipen mayor Wendy Boquing opted to file additional charges against him after the interment of her husband. Balaoan and Sudipen towns have only one court.