By Jeffrey Damicog
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) continues to conduct its investigation over the killings of three local government executives who all died this month.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra gave the assurance even after the NBI, so far, found no links to a possible plot to destabilize the government.
“Still ongoing,” the secretary said in a text message regarding his order to the NBI to investigate the deaths of Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili; Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote; and Trece Martires City Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan.
On the other hand, Guevarra admitted the ongoing NBI probe does not yet include Vice Mayor Al-Rashid Mohammad Ali of Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi who was killed during an ambush just this Wednesday.
“For now we leave it to the police to handle the Tawi-Tawi incident, but the NBI is ready to come in anytime,” the secretary said.
Earlier, Guevarra said the NBI has not found any links to any destabilization plot to the three killings.
“Initial findings show that the incidents seem to be unrelated,” he had said.
In the latest incident, Ali was repeatedly shot and killed by a lone gunman who approached his service vehicle while it stopped at a traffic light along Gov. Alvarez St. in Zamboanga City on Wednesday afternoon.
The two other victims were also killed in ambushes, namely, Bote who was gunned down on July 3 in Cabanatuan City and Lubigan who was shot on July 7 in Trece Martires.
On the other, Halili was killed by a marksman while attending a morning flag-raising ceremony on July 2 at the City Hall of Tanauan City.