Probers looking at possible link of quarry issues to Mayor Bote’s killing

A tarpaulin streamer hangs at the wake of Mayor Ferdinand Bote at the General Tinio municipal hall compound in Nueva Ecija. (Photo by ARMAND GALANG / Inquirer Central Luzon)

The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) handling the case of slain Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija is looking into the possibility that quarry issues may have had something to do with his assassination.

“Investigators are looking on the quarry issues in General Tinio and in some parts of Nueva Ecija,” Chief Supt. Amador Corpus, director of Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3), said on Wednesday in a press briefing in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“The second one is ‘yong negosyo po ng pamilya on the projects, business contracts, and other business ventures na negosyo po ng pamilya,” he said.

Corpus also underscored the possibility of politics being a factor, since the General Tinio mayor was a first-termer.

“Yung issue ng pulitika, of course, hindi naman po natin matanggal ‘yon dahil incumbent mayor siya at saka first term,” he said.

Assailants shot at Bote’s car on Tuesday as he was leaving the National Irrigation Administration office on Maharlika Highway, according to the PRO-3 head.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed Bote’s car being shot several times by unknown assailants, who then escaped eastwards from the scene of the crime.

Investigators are also securing other CCTV clips, as the mayor had visited the provincial office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) before going to his meeting at the NIA office.

18 bullets in body

In the briefing, Corpus also revealed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory retrieved 18 pieces of .45-caliber cartidges from the mayor’s body.

“Sa crime scene po are all fired cartridge for caliber .45.  The crime laboratory initially recovered 18 pieces – 18 pieces – of fired cartridge for calibre .45,” he said.

Corpus also answered questions whether Bote, a member of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), was involved with illegal drugs.

“As of today we have not received and document or report linking mayor bote to any involvement to illegal drugs,” Corpus said.

Bote is the second town mayor murdered in a span of two days, after Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas, was shot dead during the flag raising ceremony at Tanauan City Hall. /atm