‘Mastermind big person in Pangasinan’:Two charged for town mayor’s ambush-slay

>> Sunday, June 22, 2014



SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan – Authorities Monday filed three counts of murder and attempted murder charges against the two arrested suspects in the killing of Urbiztondo Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr. and two others.

Charged before the provincial prosecutor’s office here were Eduardo de Guzman alias Gading, 65, and Marito Sarmiento, 38, both of Bugallon town, said Chief Insp. Ryan Manongdo, spokesman for the Pangasinan police.

The case for attempted murder was based on the statement of one of the victims.

Other cases would be filed later, based on the testimony of other survivors, Manongdo added.

Gading and Sarmiento were arrested hours after the killing in Barangay Salomague Sur in Bugallon town.

Senior Supt. Sterling Blanco, Pangasinan police director, said the police team reached the suspects’ hideout just in time before they were about to leave and probably go on hiding.

“The manhunt and follow-up operation was based on the description of the suspects gathered from the victims and witnesses, including the previous information on their identification and escape direction,” Blanco said.

Chief Supt. Roman Felix, Police Regional Office 1 director, visited Monday families of Balolong and the other fatalities – Police Officer 1 Eliseo Ulanday, 31, and Edmund Meneses – and, together with Blanco and “Task Force Balolong” head, Senior Supt. Benjamin Hulipas, vowed to capture next the mastermind in the assassination of the mayor.

A relative of Balolong said his family knows who the late mayor was at grave odds with.
“Malaking tao sa probinsiya at lalabas din ang lahat kung sino ang may kagagawan nito… alam naming matagal nang kaawa yito at nagbabanta (This is an influential person in the province and it will all be revealed… we know of the grudge and the threats.),” he said.

Hulipas said they have already recovered what they believe was the getaway vehicle, a Toyota Innova with Plate No. YB-6600, in Barangay Caoayan Kiling in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

Investigators have also requested the assistance of the Manila North Tollways Corp. to retrieve the CCTV footage at the Dau Exit of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and the help of the PNP Crime Laboratory.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is conducting a parallel investigation.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas condemned the killing of Balolong, who was shot at 9:15 a.m. June 7 while inspecting the venue of his son’s wedding.

He succumbed to 27 bullet wounds.

“Such acts must be stopped, and stopped now,” Roxas said as he ordered the PNP to get to the bottom of the case.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who visited Balolong’s wake June 8, condemned the mayor’s killing and that of his security aide, PO1  Ulanday, and a bystander named Edmund Meneses.

Binay was in town for his scheduled market tours in San Fabian and Mangaldan.

He said he heard about the incident and decided to drop by to express his condolences to the family, who sought his help for justice.

He described Balolong, a member of the Liberal Party, as a good mayor whose death was a huge loss to the government.

Meanwhile, the provincial board of Pangasinan dismissed the four pending administrative cases filed against Balolong for being moot and academic.

In a separate resolution, the provincial board expressed their condolences and sympathy to the family.


Interior Secretary Roxas ordered police to immediately solve the crime.

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