DOJ Chief Orders NBI to Probe Slay of Bote, Halili

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a thorough probe on the deaths of Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili and General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote.

Guevarra said he has already given instructions to NBI Director Dante Gierran after he talked to him on Tuesday evening.

“I have now given direct orders to the NBI to investigate two murders in a row, of Mayor Halili of Tanauan City and of Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija who was reportedly ambushed this afternoon,” Guevarra said in a text message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

A team of NBI agents already went to Tanauan, Batangas and met with several city hall officials to gather information to pinpoint Halili’s killer and determine the motive behind the killing.

The NBI agents, Guevarra said, had interviewed officials and conducted an ocular inspection of the site where the alleged sniper was positioned during the killing.

Malacañang earlier committed to get to the bottom of killings of mayors following the murder of Bote and Halili.

Reports showed that Bote was shot multiple times while inside his Toyota Fortuner in Cabanatuan City.

This comes a day after Halili was killed while attending a flag raising ceremony. (PNA)