Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili, who was known for parading suspected criminals, was gunned down by a sniper during a flag-raising ceremony in 2018. ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA - Former Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili was assinated by a team that included police officers, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager and former police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) officer Royina Garma said Friday.

Garma told the House quad-committee hearing on extrajudicial killings, POGOs, and illegal drugs that a certain Major Albotra from Region 7 was boasting about killing Halili.

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“Major Albotra of Region 7. Lieutenant Colonel na yata. Ipinagmalaki niya sa akin noon,” Garma said, when asked about the details of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

“He said he was in the team,” she added.

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Garma also said there are cases of drug-related killings that are passed off as legitimate police operations.

“During that time kasi, kung mayroon nang grapevine, like it would appear that it is an operation, nagkakaroon ng code of silence. Real talk, Mr. Chair. Sa PNP, tahimik na. Even RDs would say, trabaho ‘yan,” she added.

Halili, who was known for parading suspected criminals, was gunned down in  July 2018 by a sniper during a flag-raising ceremony.

Then Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Aaron Aquino alleged that Halili was connected with a narcotics ring in Batangas and another mayor in Central Luzon who allegedly had drug operations in Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.

Aquino also claimed that Halili was tagged in Duterte's list of officials with alleged drug ties and the PDEA's National Drug Identification System (NDIS).

Halili would have been a target of an anti-drug operation, were it not for his untimely death, Aquino said.

Halili was on the list of high-value drug targets of the police and subjected to "Oplan Tokhang." In 2017, he lost supervision over the police, along with other officials accused of dabbling in the narcotics trade.

Halili had denied the allegation.

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Garma earlier executed an affidavit providing details of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, which followed the “Davao Model”.

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