La Union vice mayor killed, mayor hurt in ambush

BALAOAN, La Union, Philippines — The vice mayor of this town was killed in an ambush yesterday that also left his bodyguard dead and his daughter, the incumbent mayor, wounded.

Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion, 61, and Mayor Aleli Concepcion were in a convoy of two sport utility vehicles on their way to the municipal hall when an undetermined number of men in a Toyota Rav4 blocked their path in Barangay Cabua-an and opened fire at around 8:22 a.m.

Concepcion was initially brought to the Balaoan District Hospital, where his aide Michael Ulep was pronounced dead on arrival.

Concepcion was transferred to the Lorma Medical Center in San Fernando City where he died.

Aleli and the other wounded victims – Roderick Urpiano, Ronniel Valdez, Joey Lopez, Dominador Bautista and Roberto Octavio – remain confined in an undisclosed hospital.

“I have been informed that a province-wide dragnet operation is underway while an... alert has been raised to all municipal police stations to intercept the suspects,” Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde told a press conference at Camp Crame.

Probers eye politics

Albayalde said they are looking at all possible motives for the ambush, including politics.

Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, Ilocos police director, created a task force to investigate the incident.

Concepcion and his daughter are both seeking a second term in next year’s elections. They will be pitted against their relatives, retired police official Pedro Obaldo Jr. and former mayor Joaquin Ostrea Jr., who are running for mayor and vice mayor, respectively. 

It was learned that Concepcion was mentioned in the affidavit of Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing, the widow of Mayor Alexander Buquing of Sudipen town, who was killed in an ambush last Oct. 1. 

Wendy claimed that Concepcion warned her that Buquing would not finish his term. 

Rosendo Sibayan, the alleged gunman in the murder of Buquing, is Concepcion’s bodyguard.

Bring killers to justice

Malacañang condemned the ambush and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The Palace strongly denounces the ambush of Balaoan, La Union Mayor Aleli Concepcion and her father Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“We will pursue and prosecute the persons behind these brazen murders and bring them to justice,” Panelo said.

He said Malacañang expresses its condolences to the families and friends of the vice mayor and his aide.

“We likewise pray for the speedy recovery of Mayor Aleli Concepcion and those who were critically wounded in this atrocity,” Panelo said. – With Alexis Romero