By ERWIN BELEO
BALAOAN, La Union – One of the five suspects in the Oct. 1 ambush-slay of Sudipen, La Union Mayor Alexander Buquing was arrested Wednesday in Barangay Butbut Norte, Balaoan, La Union.
Chief Insp. Silverio Ordinado Jr., La Union police information officer, identified the suspect as Rosendo Sibayan, 29, a resident of Barangay Butubut Norte here.
Ordinado said the suspect was arrested by joint police operatives during the implementation of search warrant issued by Judge Jaime Dijillo Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 57 in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
Policemen recovered at the house of the suspect six live ammunitions and one fired cartridge of caliber 5.56 or M16.
Investigators brought the evidence to the crime laboratory in Camp Florendo, San Fernando City, La Union for cross-matching.
Buquing was killed on Oct. 1 along with his police escort PO2 Rolando Juanbe and driver Bonifacio Depdepen while his wife Sudipen Vice Mayor Wendy Joy Buquing was wounded during the ambush.
During the investigation at the ambush site in Barangay Cadapli, Bangar, La Union, personnel of the Scene-of-the-Crime Operatives recovered at the crime scene at least 39 empty shells and slugs from caliber 9mm and cal. 5.56.
Sibayan was identified by witnesses as one of the gunmen.
Two cases of murder, from the families of Juanbe and Depepen, were initially filed against the suspect while another murder charge and attempted murder would be filed by Vice Mayor Buquing after the burial of her husband in the coming days.