By Danny Estacio
The Police Regional Office in CALABARZON headed by Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza conducted on Thursday the re-enactment on the assassination of Tanauan City, Batangas, Mayor Antonio Halili, at New Tanauan City Hall in Barangay Natatas Tanauan City, Batangas.
Police investigators measure the distance from where the suspected assassin was positioned when he shot Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili on July 2, 2018, during the reenactment in front of the Tanauan City Hall,Batangas, July 5,2018. (Czar Dancel/MANILA BULLETIN)
Carranza said that they could re-enactment to determine the line of sight from where the mayor was standing. From there, we could establish from where the mayor was standing and the gunman’s position in the bushes if the line of the sight for the bullet was right as it hit the Halili’s chest,” he said.
He added that Halili’s cell phone was hit first as witnesses noticed there was smoke, came out, so we have to check whether that comes from the cell phone,” Carranza said, quoting the mayor’s civil security who theorized the smoke came from the mobile phone that was hit first before the bullet pierced through Halili’s left chest.
He also disclosed that police investigation has kept under wraps three persons of interest, two of whom are drug-related as the probe continues and is digging deeper whether the killing incident is drug-related or politically-motivated, he added.
He said the mayor’s damaged mobile phone will also be subjected for the regional crime lab examination and investigation as a video went viral showing a smoke which emitted from the mayor’s chest while he slumped to the ground.
He said he ordered to secure the cell phone and asked the Batangas Provincial Police Office director Senior Supt. Edwin Quilates if the cellphone was already recovered,”
He also said there were two possibilities the smoke came from, the damaged cell phone or from the bullet type that hit Halili.
Another phone is also the subject of an investigation after a video footage went viral in social media showing the shooting incident from the time the Mayor was standing, was hit around 8:10 a.m. up to the time he fell, and the local civil security transporting the mayor’s body to the car.
Authorities said the viral video would have been uploaded in social media by a person who was taking his position at a vantage point and was described to be "suspiciously not in a panic state" while documenting the incident amid the commotion.
Carranza beefed up the “SITG Halili”, chaired by PRO4a deputy regional director Senior Supt. Nolasco Bathan, with Batangas Provincial Police Office director Senior Supt. Edwin Quilates, as vice chairman, members are the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, Regional Intelligence Division, Regional Public Information Office, Regional Crime Laboratory Office, Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Office, Regional Highway Patrol Unit and the Regional Legal Service.
“We assure the Halili family and the public that no stones will be left unturned. We are also appealing to the public to help us in the investigation of this case. Rest assured that any information that will be given pertaining to this case will be treated with utmost confidentiality,” Carranza said.