Ex-Negros village chief wanted for slays falls

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – After three years on the run, a former village chief in Silay City, Negros Occidental who was tagged in the killings of four barangay officials, was finally arrested in Iba, Zambales on Thursday.

The arrest of fugitive Noel Ayalin was announced by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas in a press briefing here Thursday night, as he happened to be here as part of the official party of President Aquino in inaugurating the country’s first large-scale, commercially financed and commissioned solar power plant in San Carlos City.

Gov. Alfredo Maranon Jr. earlier had offered a P500,000 reward for the arrest of Ayalin, who is facing multiple and frustrated murder charges and is the most wanted man in Region 6. 

On March 6, 2011, Ayalin, armed with a .45-caliber pistol, shot and killed four officials of Barangay Kapitan Ramon in Silay City while they were holding their regular session. Slain were council members Luzviminda Cotamen, Pedrito Oroci, and Freddie Juño, and Sangguniang Kabataan head Imee Occeña. Three others, including barangay chairman Ramon Celebre, were wounded.