Police are looking at politics, the shame campaign, and alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade as probable reasons for the murder of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.
According to a statement from the DILG on Wednesday, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said these claims are based on the report from Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Chief and Police Regional Office – 4A Chief Supt. Edward Carranza.
“Sa ngayon ay patuloy pa rin ang pag-iimbestiga at pangangalap ng ebidensya ng task force para matukoy ang motibo sa likod ng krimen at agad na mahuli ang salarin,” Año said.
Año said the SITG is awaiting the results of the forensic examinations, especially the autopsy and the analysis of the bullet’s fragments from Halili’s body, to establish the firearm and caliber used to kill the local executive.
Aside from these, Año added that police officers have secured closed circuit television (CCTV) videos from key areas which may aid the investigation while conducting interviews with security personnel, Halili’s relatives, and city hall employees present during the incident.
The Tanauan mayor was killed on Monday morning, just as the local government employees were about to finish the singing of the national anthem.
Different videos released on social media sites showed Halili slowly falling down as he was hit by a single shot on his left chest.
Año assured Halili’s relatives and the public that DILG and the Philippine National Police are doing everything they can to resolve the case quickly.
“We assure the public that the Calabarzon police is doing their best to get to the bottom of this case. We will apprise you on the development of their investigation as soon as we get a good lead,” he said. /vvp