Tanauan mayor dead after flag ceremony shooting

Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City in Batangas. INQUIRER FILE

SAN PEDRO CITY – The mayor of Tanauan City in Batangas province was shot and killed during the city’s flag raising ceremony on Monday, police said.

Mayor Antonio “Thony” Halili was shot around 8 a.m. and died while being taken to the CP Reyes Medical Center, Supt. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson of the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon police confirmed.

“Tumagos sa kanyang dibdib,” Superintendent Renato Mercado, Tanuan police chief, earlier told radio dzBB.

Halili was declared dead at 8:45 a.m.

The tough-talking mayor was included in the earlier list of local government officials allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade, an allegation that Halili had denied. The list was issued by the National Police Commission in 2017.

Halili was also known for parading crime suspects in the city as a crime deterrent measure. /cbb