(UPDATED) - Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili was declared dead about an hour after he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest during the flag ceremony in front of the city hall on Monday morning, July 2.
An initial report said the mayor was in critical condition. He was declared dead at 8:45 a.m., while undergoing treatment at the CP Reyes Hospital.
The mayor was shot by an unidentified assailant at around 7:30 a.m. while he and other city officials and employees were singing the national anthem.
Tanauan City public information officer Gerry Laresma said they were about to finish singing the national anthem when a single gunshot rang out.
Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza said a sniper had shot Halili using an M14 firearm.
"As per initial report galing sa malayong lugar ang bala. Most likely na snipe ang ating alkalde," he said.
(Based on the initial report, it was a long-range shooting. A sniper may have shot the mayor.)
Carranza said the crime site was immediately cordoned off while police investigators were visiting each high-rise building in the area where the gunman could have possibly positioned himself.
Halili is known for his infamous "walk of shame", which requires crime suspects to walk along the city streets with a placard stating their offenses. (SunStar Philippines)