STILL facing a blank wall on the motive behind the killing of of former Bayambang councilor Levin Uy last week, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) formed special investigation group (SITG)to hasten the investigation, identification and arrest of the perpetrators behind the slaying.

At the same time, Bayambang Mayor Cesar Quiambao said he is set to offer a Php2.2-M reward for the information that would lead to the hitman and the mastermind’s identities.

P/Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, PPPO community relations chief, said Provincial Director Wilson Lopez, himself directed the formation of SITG Uy that gave itself one week to determine the motive behind the killing and possibly identify the suspects.

Uy, candidate for councilor in May 2019 election was shot by a lone suspect while jogging near his house in Barangay Zone II in Bayambang. The teacher who was with him was wounded.

SITG Uy has started the probe with the help of the CCTV footage that caught the shooting incident and an assessment of the activities of Uy as a candidate for councilor in the 2019 election, as a director of Kasama ka sa Barangay, a non-government organization and as a political ally and political strategist of Mayor Quiambao for 18 years.

Quiambao and  Alaminos City Art Celeste condemned the killing of Uy and called on their political opponents to not let the desperate act to elimination of opposition destroy the peace and order the province. (Nora Dominguez)

 

P2.3 M reward up for arrest of Uy’s killers

BAYAMBANG—The town’s mayor and a businessman have offered a total of P2.3-million reward money for any information that will lead to the arrest of the gunman and mastermind behind the murder of a former municipal councilor of this town on Nov. 16.

Mayor Cezar Quiambao has offered P2-million while Rosendo So of the Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura pledged P300,000 as reward for the arrest of the killer of Levin Uy who was gunned down while jogging in Barangay Zone 2 here.

Quiambao said Uy was very close to him, having worked with him for 18 long years in his private business and in politics. Uy, a former three-term councilor, had filed his certificate of candidacy to regain his post as municipal councilor under Quiambao’s team for next year’s elections.

“He was my most trusted man, the political strategist of team Quiambao-Sabangan (referring to their slate in next year’s elections),” the mayor said.

He added that it hurt him that Uy suffered this fate adding that it was like it was sent as a message to him after as he celebrated his birthday a day before Uy was gun slain “and this was the gift to me”.

“I’m willing to give P2-million from my personal funds for the arrest of whoever did this to him or to the one who ordered Levin’s killing,” Quiambao said.

While the public already strongly suspects who may have had a hand in Uy’s murder it being a politically motivated, Quiamboa said he wants the case to be thoroughly investigated.

For his part, So said he is giving P300,000 “as part of the reward because he and Uy had worked closely together.

Meanwhile, Cesar Salosagcol, an employee of Bayambang National High School who was wounded in the gun attack while he was talking to Uy during the incident, is already in a stable condition.

Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste, who is the gubernatorial candidate of Quiambao-Sabangan team, strongly condemned the killing.

Celeste said it saddens him that such a senseless killing had to happen.

“I hope that here in Pangasinan, we will have just a friendly political fight,” he said.

Celeste’s running mate, Mark Lambino, also decried the “cold-blooded murder” of Uy.

“If this killing of ex-councilor Uy is politically motivated, there is more reason for us to abhor those behind this treacherous and cowardly act,” Lambino said in a statement.

“He is a great loss to his family, his supporters and political allies and the whole community,” said Lambino, the eldest son of Secretary Raul L. Lambino, Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and concurrent CEZA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer. (PhilStar Wire Service)

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