Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili. INQUIRER file photo
President Rodrigo Duterte claimed innocence over the assassination of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili, saying it is “unfair” for his part to be linked to the killing of the local chief executive.
Halili was shot dead by what appeared to be a sniper while singing the national anthem during the city hall’s flag ceremony back in July.
READ: Tanauan mayor gunned down while singing national anthem – witnesses
“Kagaya nung si Mayor Halili ng Tanauan, nag-ano siya ‘Bayang magiliw…’ Bog! Patay siya, tapos ako ang pagbintangan. Unfair sila sa akin,” Duterte said in a speech on Friday in Papua New Guinea.
(Like the case of Mayor Halili of Tanauan, he was singing ‘Bayang magiliw…’ Bog! He’s dead and then put the blame on me. They are so unfair to me.)
“Wala akong ano doon. Wala akong alam. Ako, magsabi man lang ako ‘patayin kita’ pero pantakot man lang ‘yan, istorya man lang ‘yan, maniwala ka pala? Kung sino ang nagpatay eh ‘yan mga pulis o tanungin mo, hindi ako,” he added.
(I don’t have a hand on that. I know nothing. Me, I just say ‘i’ll kill you’ but that’s only a threat, that’s only a story, why, do you really believe that? On who killed him, ask our policemen, not me.)
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin earlier put the blame on Duterte regarding the attack on Halili and the other killing of a local official.
Villarin, an opposition lawmaker, said that the shooting of Halili and General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote, showed that once the rule of law is abandoned, “anybody with a gun and a grudge has a license to kill people without worrying about the consequences.”
READ: Solon blames President for killing of 2 mayors
Prior to the death of Halili, Duterte said that the mayor should not be involved with illegal drugs.
Despite this, Duterte said that it was just a “suspicion” that the killing of Halili had something to do with drugs.
READ: Duterte: I told Halili not to get involved in illegal drugs
Halili’s spokesperson however, said that there was no proof that the slain mayor was linked to the illegal drug trade, contrary to the claim of Duterte. /jpv
READ: No proof Halili was involved in drugs — spokesperson