DOJ probes ambush of mayor, vice mayor

The crime scene in Balaoan-Luna Road. (Jun Founder)

The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday started the preliminary investigation of the murder of Balaoan, La Union Vice Mayor Al-fred Concepcion and his security escort as well as the attempted murder of his daughter and Balaoan Mayor Aleli Concepcion and others last year.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had filed murder and multiple counts of attempted murder against two police officers and two John Does suspected of shooting the victims on 14 November 2018.

NBI Director Dante Gierran said that based on the authority granted by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the NBI immediately conducted an investigation and case build up on the ambush and after eight months recommended to the DoJ on 31 July 2019 the prosecution of Senior Police Officer 1 Dario Cahigas (presently assigned at the Intelligence Division of the La Union Police Office), SPO2 Arnold Calzado (assigned at the PNP Regional Office 1), Camp General Florendo, San Fernando City, La Union and the two other unidentified suspects for two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder defined and penalized under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code.

The NBI investigation found that in the morning of 14 November 2018, while Mayor Concepcion and her father Vice Mayor Concepcion were traversing in a convoy the Balaoan-Luna Road on their way to the Municipal Hall, they were blocked by a gray Toyota Innova.

Another car, a RAV 4 occupied by unidentified gunmen and parked at the side of the road within five meters from the convoy, then opened fire.

The vice mayor and his bodyguard were killed in the first volley of gunfire while Mayor Aleli and her bodyguards were injured.

The NBI-Ilocos Regional Office’s investigation team headed by Atty. Angelito DLP Magno were able to establish the participation of Cahigas and Calzado and the two other unidentified men in the ambush of the victims.

Thru pieces pieces of evidence gathered including a bull cap and mask, affidavits from witnesses, circumstantial evidence, several CCTV footages at the scene of the crime and hospitals from where the NBI team obtained other information, it was established that the ambush was carried out by the assailants who escaped using getaway vehicles.

Deputy Director for Regional Operations Service Antonio Pagatpat for his part, said, “very clearly, the NBI Investigation Team headed by Magno was able to establish the elements of murder in this particular case including conspiracy and evident premeditation to commit the crime.”