By Chito Chavez
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the task force created to probe the slaying of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili is in the midst of narrowing down the motives behind his murder last Monday.
DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo M. Año
(DILG / MANILA BULLETIN)
DILG officer-in-charge (OIC) Eduardo Año issued the statement based on the report of task force head Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza.
The task force is now in the process of exploring three possible motives for the killing – politics, the shame campaign that the mayor waged in his city, and his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
“Sa ngayon ay patuloy pa rin ang pag-iimbestiga at pangangalap ng ebidensya ng task force para matukoy ang motibo sa likod ng krimen at agad na mahuli ang salarin (The investigation still is on-going as the task force is still looking into pieces of evidence that my lead to the arrest of the suspect and resolution of the crime),” he says.
"We will go where the evidence will bring us," he added.
Año said the task force is now awaiting the results of the autopsy and examining the fragments obtained from the mayor’s body to determine what kind of firearm and bullet were used to kill the mayor.
The task force has also secured CCTV footages from the city hall as well as in key areas of the city to get a clearer picture of what transpired during that fatal day.
Police authorities have also gotten the testimony of the security aides, family members, and city hall employees who were present during the flag ceremony.
The DILG chief noted the police might also do an reenactment of the crime scene to get a clear record of how the crime took place.
“We assure the public that the Calabarzon police is doing their best to get to the bottom of this case. We will apprise you on the development of their investigation as soon as we get a good lead,” he noted.
Halili was shot dead by an unidentified gunman while attending the flag raising ceremony last Monday in front of city hall employees.