No "pattern" in the killings of two mayors and vice mayor, says PNP
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde said authorities do not see a link on the series of killings of politicians.
“First, we do not see any pattern here. These incidents may be coincidental. We have seen different motives here. In fact in Nueva Ecija, we have good leads and in one week to until early next week we will be able to file charges because we have leads that are being pursued by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG),” he said.
“So we didn’t see the relationship or relation on the incidents in Batangas, Cavite and Nueva Ecija,” he added.
Albayalde said based on the investigation of the motive behind the killing of Gen Tinio Mayor Ferdinand Bote, who was killed in an ambush in Cabanatuan City is not related to politics.
“Of all indications it shows that in Nueva Ecija it’s not about politics. As I have said we have good leads already and it is led by the CIDG. By this week until next week, it will be cleared,” he said.
However, Albayalde said politics is one of the motives being considered in the killing of Tanuan City Mayor Antonio Halili and Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan.
“The only common denominator that we see is they are elected officials and I think that it coincidental. It’s not trending because as per our investigation their designation as an elected official has nothing to do with motives that we see,” he said.
“On Mayor Halili or even on vice mayor one of the motives that we see there is politics,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS
