Surigao City — After two years in hiding, two men tagged as gunmen in the killing of retired Cotabato City Police Director and former City Public Safety Office chief, Police Colonel Rolen Balquin, were arrested Monday night at the Macapagal Verano Port in Surigao City.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) Mindanao Field Unit, Cotabato Satellite Office, identified the arrested suspects as Berting Abdullah and Salem Edu, who both have standing warrants of arrest for Murder (non-bailable) and Frustrated Murder issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 Presiding Judge Annabelle Piang.
Authorities said the two suspects were apprehended while disembarking from a fast craft from Siargao. Their arrest is considered by police as a breakthrough, with the PNP declaring the case “solved” following their capture.
Balquin was gunned down on March 19, 2022, in Cotabato City, a killing that sent shockwaves across the police force and the local government. Investigators said Abdullah and Edu were the alleged triggermen in the ambush.
However, both men strongly deny the accusations. Inside detention, Salem Edu maintained his innocence, claiming he was not at the crime scene during the incident.
“Even if you check all the CCTV footage, we were not the ones who did it,” Edu insisted, adding that he was having a meal at his brother’s house when the shooting happened.
Edu also said he is willing to swear on the Qur’an to prove his innocence and is prepared to defend himself in court.
The suspects are set to be transferred to the court that issued the warrants for their arrest.