Group formed to investigate killings of local officials

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde has ordered the creation of a National Investigation Task Group (NITG) to look into the spate of killings involving city and town officials.

In a press conference in Camp Crame on Monday, September 10, Albayalde said the NITG will be headed by PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) chief, Police Director Elmo Francis Sarona.

He said the NITG will closely monitor and facilitate national level coordination of all investigations conducted by the different PNP units, offices and Special Investigation Task Groups into the killings.

Albayalde said the NITG will prioritize the murder of the following officials: Ronda, Cebu Mayor Mariano Blanco and Vice Mayor John Ungab; Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili; General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote; and Trece Martires City, Cavite Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan.

Ungab, who was also a lawyer, was shot dead on February 19 by an unidentified assailant after attending a court hearing along S. Osmeña Street, Cebu City.

Halili was shot dead while singing the national anthem during a flag ceremony at the city hall on July 2.

On July 3, Bote was gunned down by at least three unidentified assailants in front of the National Irrigation Administration office in Cabanatuan City.

Police have arrested two suspects in Bote’s killing while another surrendered. The alleged mastermind, a businessman, remains at large.

Bote’s business dealings were eyed as the primary motive of the killing.

On July 7, three days after he announced to his private circle his intention to run as mayor of the city, Lubigan and his driver were killed in an ambush.

On September 5, Blanco, Ungab’s uncle, was murdered inside the Ronda municipal hall.

“The SITG investigating the murder of Mayor Blanco is closely looking into politics as possible motive for the murder. Although other possibilities are also being carefully looked into as suggested by strong leads and significant findings,” said Albayalde.

Halili and Blanco were both stripped of police powers by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) due to their alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade. They were both included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of narco-politicians.

Ungab had served as one of the lawyers of selfconfessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, son of former Albuera Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Jr. who was killed by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives while inside his detention cell at the Baybay subprovincial jail in November 2016. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)