New task group to look into Tanauan Mayor Halili’s slay

A newly-composed special investigation task group (SITG) will look again into the case of Tanuan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili after his assassination in 2018.

Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Ty Pimentel on early Friday asked the SITG who originally handled the case if there’s a chance for it to be reopened.

“Alam naman natin na this is already considered a cold case [...] If a new information comes up relating to the cold case, it could be reopened. Ang tanong ko po sa  SITG wala po ba kayong plano na buksan ito ulit itong pag-imbestiga sa pagpatay kay Mayor Halili?” the lawmaker asked during the continuation of the House Quad Committee’s hearing on extrajudicial killings in the past administration.

(We all knew that this is already considered a cold case [...] If new information comes up relating to the cold case, it could be reopened. But I would like to ask the SITG if you have any plan to reopen the investigation on Mayor Halili’s murder?)

Pimentel brought up the possibility of reopening the case after Police Lt. Col. Kenneth Paul Albotra, the police officer linked to the killing of Halili, denied the allegations against him during the hearing.

The SITG said the new leadership of the Police Regional Office 4-A has already issued a directive to reopen the case.

“Mayroon po ditong letter order dated October 23, 2024, nagkaroon na po ng bagong komposisyon ang SITG Halili. Ang nag-issue po nito ay yung bagong leadership ng Police Regional Office 4-A under kay Brigadier General Kenneth Lucas,” said retired police officer Nolasco Bathan, who spearheaded the task group then.

(There’s actually a letter order dated October 23, 2024 where it stated that there’s a new composition of the SITG Halili. This was issued by the new leadership of the Police Regional Office 4-A, Brigadier General Kenneth Lucas.)

Halili was shot by a sniper during a flag ceremony at Tanauan City Hall in 2018.

Investigators said that his murder could be related to politics or to his shame campaign to fight crime.

Halili was known for parading arrested suspects while being handcuffed and wearing a large tag to emphasize that they were involved in illegal drugs.

But despite such efforts by Halili, he was still included in then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of personalities who were allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade. — BAP, GMA Integrated News