{UAH} Mayor Is Gunned Down in Philippines, the Second in 2 Days

Mayor Is Gunned Down in Philippines, the Second in 2 Days

Image

A cardboard cutout of Antonio Halili, the mayor of Tanauan City, the Philippines, stood outside his office after he was killed on Monday. Another mayor was shot to death on Tuesday.CreditCreditAaron Favila/Associated Press

By Felipe Villamor

• July 3, 2018

MANILA — A Philippine mayor was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon, one day after a gunman killed another mayor who was publicly supportive of President Rodrigo Duterte's unrelenting war on the drug trade.

Ferdinand Bote, 57, the mayor of General Tinio, a municipality about 50 miles north of Manila, was in his car when a lone assailant on a motorcycle attacked him, the police said in a statement. Mr. Bote sustained several gunshot wounds to his body and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

It was not immediately clear why Mr. Bote was attacked.

The killing happened a day after Antonio Halili, the mayor of Tanauaun, about 40 miles south of Manila, was killed by a sniper at a flag-raising ceremony. Mr. Halili was known for parading criminal suspects around his city to shame them, but he was himself later accused of dealing drugs.

Mr. Bote was the fifth Philippine mayor killed during Mr. Duterte's war on the drug trade, which has led to the deaths of thousands of people and drawn condemnation from rights groups. Three of the mayors were on the president's list of 150 Philippine officials — including mayors, judges and police officers — whom he had accused of being involved in drugs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr. Duterte, who took the presidency in 2016 vowing to dump hundreds of dead drug addicts and pushers into Manila Bay, has been warning local officials that they faced death if they got involved in the drug trade.

On Monday, he said he suspected that Mr. Halili may have been targeted because he was into drugs. The police had already placed him on a watch list.

You have 3 free articles remaining.

Subscribe to The Times

"I heard that Halili died. But I suspect that it's related to drugs. Just a suspicion," Mr. Duterte said Monday, hours after Mr. Halili was attacked. He suggested that Mr. Halili's shaming of drug suspects was a cover for his own misdeeds.

"He pretends that the illegal drug problem is getting worse. He pretends to parade the drug addicts," the president said. "I don't know who killed him. I said not to get involved in illegal drugs."

A version of this article appears in print on July 4, 2018, on Page A7 of the New York edition with the headline: Philippine Mayor Is Killed, The Second in Two Days. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

Related Coverage

Philippine Mayor Who Shamed Drug Suspects Is Killed During Flag Ceremony

July 2, 2018

Image

'They Are Slaughtering Us Like Animals'

Dec. 7, 2016

Image

More in Asia Pacific

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com