Cotabato public safety officer slain

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The public safety officer of the city government here was killed while his police escort was wounded in a gun attack yesterday.

Retired Brig. Gen. Rolen Balquin suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival in a hospital.

M/Sgt. Ariel Gutang was seriously wounded.

Balquin and Gutang were about to alight from their vehicle near the intersection of Macapagal street and Sinsuat Avenue when an unidentified man opened fire.

Balquin was supposed to attend the opening of a restaurant nearby when the shooting occurred.

Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayada, chairperson of the city peace and order council, condemned the incident.

She vowed to bring the perpetrator to justice.