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.
Corpus said a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) was immediately activated to investigate the killing.
He said 18 spent shells were recovered from the crime scene. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the number of gunshot wounds that he sustained.
The official said initial investigation also revealed that the mayor has never received any death threat as far as his security escorts are concerned.
He said two police escorts were assigned to Bote but the mayor opted not to take them with him all the time.
“Early this morning I talked with the mayor’s security detail. Sabi ko bakit hindi sila sumama ang sabi naman nila most of the time hindi naman nagpapasama si Mayor, (which indicates) na hindi talaga siya nakakatanggap ng death threat,” said Corpus.
(I asked them why they were not with the mayor and they said that the mayor does not ask them to accompany him most of the time. He has not received any death threat.)
Corpus said Bote has no link to illegal drugs.
"Alam mo bilang alkalde 'yan ay isa na pinakamahirap na government position. Kung ikaw ay sobrang magaling, marami talagang nagpaplano ng masama sa iyo lalo na 'yung mga criminal underworld, pero si Mayor Bote wala sa narco-list," he said.
(Being mayor is one of the most difficult government jobs. If you are efficient, a lot of people especially from the criminal underworld want to do you harm. Mayor Bote was not on the narco-list.) (SunStar Philippines)