Update
Ten mayors have been killed so far since 2016, reports compiled by INQUIRER.net showed.
This month alone, two mayors in Luzon were killed in two days: General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote and controversial Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili, known for his “Walk of Shame” campaign where he made criminal offenders walk around the city.
Out of the 10 slain mayors, three were from Luzon, four were from the Visayas, and three were from Mindanao.
All of the mayors, except one — Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. — were incumbent local executives when they were killed.
Only Espinosa was not holding office when he was killed as he happened to be in jail on suspicion of being involved in the drug trade.
Of the 10 slain mayors, only one was a woman, Bien Unido, Bohol Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel, who was allegedly shot dead by her husband and thrown off the sea.
Of the 10 slain mayors, only Boniel’s body has yet to be found.
Mayors killed since 2016:
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Datu Saudi Ampatuan Municipal Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ RAFFY LERMA)
SAMSUDIN DIMAUKOM
Mayor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao
(Mindanao)
Date killed: October 28, 2016
Place: Makilala, North Cotabato (Mindanao)
READ: Samsudin Dimaukom: The mayor who loved pink
Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town was on the so-called “narco list.”
He died in October 2016 in an alleged shootout with government operatives at a checkpoint in Makilala, North Cotabato.
Dimaukom was known as the “mayor who loved pink” as he had a fondness for the color. He had a mosque built in the color pink. He also had the municipal hall renovated and had it painted in pink.
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Slain Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ GRIG MONTEGRANDE)
ROLANDO ESPINOSA SR.
Mayor of Albuera town, Leyte
(Visayas)
Date killed: November 5, 2016
Place: Leyte Sub-provincial jail
READ: WHAT WENT BEFORE: Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. slay
Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was killed inside his jail cell at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City in November 2016 as he reportedly resisted the search warrant being issued against him.
Espinosa was in jail for alleged violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
- MOHAMMAD EXCHAN LIMBONA
Mayor of Pantar, Lanao del Norte
(Mindanao)
Date killed: December 29, 2016
Place: Barangay Dalipuga., Iligan City
READ: Lanao del Norte mayor dead in ambush
Pantar, Lanao del Norte Mayor Mohammad Exchan Limbona was ambushed in Iligan City in December 2016. The mayor was in a vehicle with his wife and daughter when shooters opened fire at them.
- ARSENIO AGUSTIN
Mayor of Marcos town, Ilocos Norte
(Luzon)
Date killed: June 3, 2017
Place: Ilocos Norte
READ: Ilocos Norte mayor, employee shot dead
Marcos Mayor Arsenio Agustin was killed by a lone gunman in his hometown in Ilocos Norte in June 2017. The mayor was walking toward his parked vehicle after inspecting a water impounding project.
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MISSING? Bien Unido Bohol Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
GISELA BENDONG-BONIEL
Mayor of Bien Unido, Bohol
(Visayas)
Date killed: June 7, 2017
Place: Lapu-Lapu City, Visayas
READ: Memorial at sea for Bohol mayor
Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel was allegedly shot in the head by her husband, Bohol Board Member Niño Boniel.
A suspect, Riolito “Etad” Boniel, told police that Niño’s group dumped her body into the sea. Etad said he operated the boat that carried the body of the slain mayor.
He also accompanied authorities and divers to the area where they allegedly threw the body. The mayor’s remains have yet to be found.
- LEOVINO HIDALGO
Mayor of Balete, Batangas
(Luzon)
Date killed: June 10, 2017
Place: Visayas
READ: Batangas town mayor gunned down
Balete Mayor Leovino Hidalgo was shot during a local sports event in Barangay Poblacion at around 10:30 a.m. on June 10 last year. The suspects were reportedly on board a white van.
The mayor was rushed to Metro Lipa Medical Center but died along the way.
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Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. (Photo from the official Ozamiz City website, www.ozamiz.gov.ph)
REYNALDO PAROJINOG
Mayor of Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental
(Mindanao)
Date killed: July 30, 2017
Place: Ozamiz
READ: Duterte backs cops in Parojinog killing
Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 other people, including his wife Susan, were killed in a police raid in July last year.
He was allegedly being served a search warrant when his security personnel attacked.
The Parojinogs, an influential clan in Misamis Occidental in Mindanao, were on the narco list.
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Ronald Lowell “Sample” Genson Tirol. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
RONALD LOWELL TIROL
Mayor of Buenavista, Bohol
(Visayas)
Date killed: May 27, 2018
Place: Buenavista, Bohol
READ: Cops name gunman in Bohol mayor’s slay
In 2014, an assassination attempt was carried out against Mayor Ronald Tirol of Buenavista, Bohol province but he survived.
In May this year, the Buenavista Mayor was killed at a cockpit arena in his town.
One of the three suspects in Tirol’s killing was allegedly also involved in the 2014 assassination attempt against him.
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Tanauan Mayor Antonio “Thony” Halili. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
ANTONIO HALILI
Mayor of Tanuan City, Batangas
(Luzon)
Date killed: July 2, 2018
Place: Tanauan City Hall, Batangas
READ: Duterte: I told Halili not to get involved in illegal drugs
Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili was shot dead by a sniper during a flag ceremony at the city hall on July 2, 2018.
Halili was a controversial mayor as he made drug suspects participate in a walk of shame in the city. This practice was declared unconstitutional by the Commission on Human Rights.
In November 2017, Halili was linked to the illegal drug trade. The mayor was stripped of his powers over the local police but Halili refused to surrender.
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MAYOR FERDINAND BOTE / JULY 4, 2018
Picture of slain Mayor Ferdinand Bote displayed by a photo studio across the town hall.FERDINAND BOTE
Mayor of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija
(Luzon)
Date killed: July 3, 2018
Place: Cabanatuan City
READ: Nueva Ecija mayor dead in ambush
Motorcycle-riding gunmen killed General Tinio Mayor Ferdinand Bote on July 3, 2018.
The mayor was leaving the National Irrigation Administration office in Cabanatuan City on a Toyota Fortuner when he was shot several times, apparently with the use of a short firearm at around 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday.
He sustained multiple wounds and was declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.