PNP to investigate cop’s alleged role in killing of Batangas mayor

MANILA, Philippines – The police official tagged by retired police Col. Royina Garma in the assassination of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili in 2018 will be subject to an investigation, PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said on Tuesday. “It appears that there are five people with the surname Albotra in the Personal Accounting Information System of the PNP. Although, three of those retired even prior to the incident. They retired in 1987, 2014 and 2018. One of them resigned. There is only one Alborta in active service,” Fajardo said in Filipino. The said active officer was identified as Kenneth Albotra, assigned in Central Visayas. Halili, known for his shame campaign against alleged drug pushers, was shot dead by a sniper at a flag ceremony on July 2, 2018 in Tanauan City. In Friday’s House of Representative quad committee hearing, Garma claimed a “Major Albotra of Region VII (Central Visayas)” was the officer who bragged to her about killing Halili, but did not supply a first name.

“He’s the only one active of the five Albotras in our system. Definitely, he will be considered as one of the persons that the PNP will be investigating. To be fair to him, although he says he isn’t the one being referred to, he will be questioned with respect to this case.” added Fajardo.

Albotra denied Garma’s allegations in an interview with ‘24 Oras” on Monday evening.

“We have to observe due process. We are not concluding that he is the one being referred to. He will be given his time, his day in court to really clear his name,” Fajardo clarified.

According to the PNP spokesperson, Albotra was assigned to Police Regional Offices (PRO) 7, 8 (Eastern Visayas) and for one day at 4A (Calabarzon).

“He was only assigned to IV-A for only one day. His order to go to IV-A came out, but this was before the incident. He was assigned to PRO4A on June 4, 2018. The order was nullified on the same day, and he returned to Region VII.” The killing of Halili was among the claims Garma made at her testimony to the House quad comm probe on President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs. PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil on Monday formed a committee to investigate Garma’s allegations.