Halili feud with former general being probed
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MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas had a dispute with a former general before he was killed, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde revealed yesterday.
Albayalde refused to identify the retired official. He also stressed it is too early to say if the general is a person of interest in Halili’s murder as probers are still focusing on the possible motive.
“Meron siyang nakaaway na former general na high-ranking,” Albayalde told reporters at the 27th founding anniversary of the PNP Aviation Security Group in Pasay City.
The PNP chief said he could not say if the general is from the police or military.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know the person personally,” he said.
In a separate news briefing at Camp Crame, Albayalde said the conflict between Halili and the general had not been resolved when the mayor was shot by a sniper in front of horrified fellow government workers during flag-raising ceremonies at the Tanauan City Hall grounds on Monday.
No suspect has been arrested.
President Duterte had accused Halili of involvement in illegal drugs but the mayor and his relatives denied the allegations.
Albayalde said he has no information on the reason for the squabble between Halili and the general.
The motives which police are looking into, according to Albayalde, are Halili’s policy of parading drug suspects and other offenders in public, politics and his reported involvement in illegal drugs.
He said investigators are also looking into reports that Halili had been involved in several land disputes in Tanauan. Albayalde did not elaborate.
Albayalde said they are also investigating if the local police committed lapses in terms of securing the area during the ceremony.
The government stripped Halili of his operational supervision and control over the police in Tanauan after he was implicated in illegal drugs.
Albayalde received reports that police officers in Tanauan had been shunning the flag-raising ceremonies because Halili supposedly cursed and publicly shamed police who would attend the flag ceremony.
Bullet shell
The empty shell of the bullet that allegedly killed Halili was recovered in the grassy area during reenactment of the crime yesterday.
Supt. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson for the regional police in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), said investigators recovered one empty shell of a 5.56 mm ammunition that is also the bullet used in an M16 rifle.
She, however, clarified there is still no official report on what kind of firearm and ammunition were used in the shooting.
Gaoiran said the empty shell was located by a metal detector used by a member of the police task force that was tracing the escape route used by the suspect.
She said the sniper fired from an elevated mound in a vacant grassy area at the right side of city hall, around 76.8 meters away from where Halili and other city officials were standing during the flag-raising rites, instead of the earlier reported 160 meters from where Halili was standing.
Gaoiran said the suspect passed through the adjacent cemetery at the back of the grassy area to reach the highway.
She pointed out the reenactment was part of the investigation to determine the line of sight of the gunman and to trace the escape route.
She added that investigators are still facing a blank wall on the motive and identity of the assailant.
Earlier, Chief Supt. Edward Carranza, Calabarzon police regional director, said two of the persons of interest were linked to illegal drugs, and the identity of the third, also a drug personality, is still being verified.
He said they are developing three angles in the murder – personal, work or business matters.
Reward
The Nueva Ecija provincial government has offered a reward of P1 million to anyone who could identify the suspects in the murder of mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija along Maharlika highway in Cabanatuan City last Tuesday.
Nueva Ecija Gov. Czarina Umali announced this the other day after she condemned the killing of Bote.
Umali extended her condolences to the mayor’s family, as she stressed that the slain official would continue to inspire people for his efforts to improve the plight of his constituents.
She also pledged the support of the provincial government in efforts to solve the killing of Bote. – With Marvin Sy, Ed Amoroso, Ding Cervantes, Eva Visperas, Eva Visperas, Arnell Ozaeta
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