MANILA, Philippines — The cops who shot Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino earlier this week were in the area for an operation that meant to assess the performance of provincial police, the spokesperson of the national police said Thursday.
To recall, Aquino—then 58 years old and serving his third and final term as the city's mayor—was with three bodyguards when they were ambushed as they were on the way to attend the birthday party of his son in Brgy. Lonoy, Calbayog on Monday evening.
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Speaking in an interview aired over ANC, Police Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana doubled down on the national police's narrative that the shooting was initiated by the mayor's camp, who fired the first shot and only prompted cops to fire back.
It is not clear why the mayor's security detail, which included a police officer, would have done so.
"This is simply an initial report from the police that came to the area. Accordingly, it was a shootout. In fact, there were police officers who died from the other vehicle," he said.
"We were not even aware if the mayor was involved in the drug trade at all," he added, in response to speculations that the mayor was killed as part of the administration's flagship anti-drug campaign.
Rep. Edgar Sarmiento (Samar 1st District) has gone on record to contest the PNP's account of the incident, accusing them of turning the narrative around.
In a House resolution the lawmaker filed, he also accused the national police of ambushing the late mayor's vehicle, describing the shooting as a "senseless murder."
PNP still evading questions
Usana's pronouncements did not inspire confidence.
Asked how many witnesses the PNP had to corroborate its claims, Usana dodged the question, saying instead: "We will leave this to the SITG for them to also update the public."
The police spokesperson also cast fear over the integrity of the crime scene, saying it might have been compromised by citizens who were present.
"A number of civilians came right away to the crime scene when they learned that there was a shooting incident," he said.
He also could not yet give a timeline for the completion of the police probe, saying: "Rest assured that will be done in the most facilitating way."
In 2011, then-Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy was also shot and killed by unknown gunmen. The case remains unsolved to this day.
This came days after what progressive groups call Bloodbath Sunday, where nine activists and labor organizers were shot by police and military forces supposedly serving search warrants for illegal explosives. — Franco Luna