Abalos offers P500K reward for the arrest of Pangasinan village chief’s killers
INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos has offered a P500,000 reward for any information that would lead to the arrest of the killers of a female barangay chairperson in Pangasinan who was mercilessly shot while driving Thursday.
Two men on a motorcycle shot dead Melinda “Tonet” Morillo, 60, while she was driving her white Mitsubishi Montero Sports Utility Vehicle on way home in Bgy. Poblacion, Mangaldan town.
“Walang puwang sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang anumang uri ng karahasan tulad ng walang saysay na pamamaslang kay Punong Barangay Tonet,” Abalos said in a statement.
The DILG chief visited Morillo’s wake, where he condoled with the victim’s family, and ordered the local police to exert all efforts to have the gunmen arrested and pay for the crime they committed.
“While the police are investigating the incident, I am offering this reward to call on all Pangasinenses and our fellow Filipinos to step forward and be instrumentals of justice,” he added.
Although the case was an isolated one, Abalos reminded other punong barangays and local officials to promptly report to the local police any concerns regarding their safety.
“Kasabay ng ating pakikiramay sa pamilya ni punong barangay Tonet ay ang pangakong gagawin namin ang lahat para makamit natin ang hustisya para sa kanya,” he stressed.
