2 held for beating up Pangasinan town mayor

MANILA, Philippines — A town mayor in Pangasinan who tried to pacify a commotion during a fiesta celebration ended up being beaten up by two men yesterday.

Bautista Mayor Joseph Espino was  hit by Jay-Ar Gonzales, 36, and Wilmar Gonzales, 45, at the municipal gymnasium in Barangay Poblacion East at around 4:23 a.m., police said.

Initial investigation showed Bautista, who was a guest at a Sangguniang Kabataan activity that started Tuesday night, tried to intervene when the suspects hurled a bottle of liquor, hitting a 20-year-old woman.

Police did not say if Espino had a security escort.

The suspects were arrested and face charges of direct assault and physical injury.