Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili shot dead

Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili. (Photo: Tanauan City’s Hope/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili on Monday morning was shot dead during a flag-raising ceremony at his town’s city hall.

Halili, joined by city hall employees, was in the middle of singing the country’s national anthem, ‘Lupang Hinirang,’ when a gunshot emanated from the scene, a Facebook Live video streamed by Tanauan City Public Information Officer Gerry Laresma showed.

The mayor was rushed to CP Reyes Medical Hospital and was initially reported to have been in critical condition.

However, a spot report by the Police Regional Office-4, stated that Halili was “declared DOA (dead on arrival)” after sustaining a single gunshot wound on his chest. He was declared dead at 8:45 a.m.

Chief Supt. Edward Carranza of Calabarzon region police said in a radio interview that a sniper could have shot Halili and no other individual was hurt in the shooting.

He added that a task force had been created to handle the case.

Halili made headlines for the “walk of shame” campaign he implemented in Tanauan, where some suspected law offenders carrying “Wag tularan (Do not emulate)” slogan paraded the town.

In November last year, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) released a resolution stripping governor and mayors, including Halili, of police powers for their alleged involvement in illegal drugs or abuse of authority.

Halili denied any involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs and said he “did not lose a thing” as he didn’t control or supervise the local police.