Cotabato official killed, escort wounded in shooting incident

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 20, 2022): Cotabato official killed, escort wounded in shooting incident (By Noel Punzalan)

Cotabato City Public Safety Officer retired police Colonel Rolen Balquin (File photo courtesy of DXMS Cotabato)

COTABATO CITY – Gunmen shot and killed a city official and wounded his police escort on Saturday morning along Sinsuat Avenue here.

Police identified the slain victim as retried police Colonel Rolen Balquin, the city public safety office chief, and the wounded escort as Chief Master Sgt. Arial Gutang, 47, of the local police force.

Initial police investigation showed that Balquin was about to alight from their vehicle around 9 a.m. to check on minimum public health protocols at a newly-opened food establishment here when they were shot by gunmen aboard a separate vehicle along a busy road in Barangay Rosary Heights Mother.

The victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds in their bodies.

Responding policemen rushed the victims to the hospital where Balquin was declared dead on arrival by doctors.

Recovered from the crime scene were spent shells from .45 caliber pistols.

A pursuit operation is still ongoing against the perpetrators whom witnesses said sped off toward the southern part of the city.

In a statement, mayor Cynthia Frances Guiani-Sayadi strongly condemned the incident, vowing to give justice for the death of Balquin.

“We may lay Colonel Balquin to rest but we will not rest until you are captured. Tandaan niyo yan (You remember that),” she said.

" To all our fellow Cotabateños, let us fight against all this lawlessness. Let us fight for Cotabato City,” the mayor added.

Balquin, a former city police director, belonged to the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 1987.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170155