MAYOR Bernie Palencia of Polomolok town in South Cotabato province has offered P500,000 as a reward for anybody who can provide information on the gunmen who attacked his executive assistant on March 17. Palencia said he could have been the target of the two gunmen who shot at close range his personal aide, Rhyolite Agregado Balili, 49, a former town councilor. 'I believed I was the target,' Palencia stated. Balili was driving his car and was about to enter the town hall premises at Barangay Poblacion when he was shot by two motorcycle-riding gunmen. LtCol. Joseph Forro 3rd, Polomolok police chief, said the victim sustained gunshot wounds in various parts of his body and is recuperating at an undisclosed hospital in General Santos City. Palencia hinted that the shooting of Balili could be politically motivated. 'These could be the handiwork of my political arch-rivals. They are sending a message,' he added without naming names. Palencia said he was told that two men selling roasted peanuts were seen taking videos of him during the opening program of the Women's Month celebration. Forro said no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that security measures are now in place to prevent similar incidents in the future. In January this year, three members of the Civil Security Unit of the Polomolok local government unit, including a former police major serving as its chief, were separately killed by still unknown perpetrators.
