Killing of 2 mayors not related, says DILG chief
MANILA - Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año said Wednesday, July 4, that there is no connection between the killing of Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili and the ambush of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote within 36 hours of each other.
Halili was on the narco-list of President Rodrigo Duterte while Bote was not.
"Let's not speculate on these cases and just await the results of the investigation. Basta kami, we will go where the evidence will bring us," said Año.
He said he was already given a specific instruction by President Duterte to pay preferential attention to both killings.
“Upon the instruction of the President, I am in close coordination with Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde regarding these cases. We need to put a stop to all these senseless killings that are undermining the government’s peace and order efforts,” he said.
Halili was shot dead during the flag ceremony at the city hall on Monday, July 2, a day before Bote was gunned down while onboard his vehicle just outside the entrance gate to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) office in Cabanatuan City.
As this developed, Police regional office (PRO) 3 director Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus said at least three assailants were involved in the killing of Bote.
Police are also looking at three possible motives: the quarry activities in Nueva Ecija; politics; and family business, which includes construction.
Corpus said the CCTV footage that captured the ambush has been forwarded to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime group for enhancement to allow identification of the suspects and the vehicle that they used.
"Based on the recovered CCTV (closed-circuit television) footages, we saw three suspects going to the crime scene and withdrawing onboard a motorcycle," he said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
Bote was rushed to the hospital after the shooting but was declared dead on arrival.