The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it is currently reviewing the case records of former Tanuan, Batangas mayor Antonio Halili, who was murdered in 2018, following the recent testimonies of retired police colonel Royina Garma linking cops into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the previous administration’s war on drugs campaign. 

In a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City, PNP spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo said the police organization’s CiCriminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has started retrieving the case records of the cold cases, including the fatal shooting of Halili during a flag ceremony in Tanuan city hall in 2018. 

According to the Standard Operating Procedures of the PNP, the “CIDG shall assume the responsibility of pursuing the investigation when the case is not solved within six months and already classified as a cold case.”

“Ang gagawin ng PNP dito is to really dig deeper dito sa kaso na ito at nandoon tayo sa process kasi more than five, six years na nangyari yung insidente (The PNP would really dig deeper in this case, and we are now in the process—because the incident happened more than five, six years)—so the CIDG is now in the process really of retrieving, restudying, and assessing the direction of the investigation, with respect to killing Mayor Halili,” Fajardo told reporters. 

During a House Quad Committee hearing last Monday, Garma linked a certain Major Albotra from Region 7 who was boasting about killing Halili. 

Police officer Kenneth Albotra denied Garma’s allegations, saying the former PCSO general manager might be confused.

Fajardo meanwhile noted the CIDG is also reviewing all sensational cases of elected officials who were killed during the implementation of the bloody drug war campaign by the Duterte administration.

“Without pinpointing to anyone, we have to observe the due process. Again, we are not concluding na siya (Albotra) ang sinasabi. But in the spirit of transparency... he (Albortra) will be given his time in his day in court to really clear his, although he was saying he doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Fajardo said. 

She added that Garma’s testimonies are given weight because they were uttered during the House Quad Committee—where resource persons are under oath. 

“With, we will look into it, and we will backtrack it,” Fajardo stressed. 

Citing the PNP’s records, Fajardo said Albotra was assigned to the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) when Halili was murdered on 2  July 2018. 

“It appears, based on the initial investigation, he was killed by a sniper shot. Let us wait,” Fajardo said, noting that CIDG chief BGen. Nicolas Torre III has committed to providing more information “with respect to the review of the case records.

“Also, they have to take into consideration the new revelations of former Col. Royina Garma. If she can substantiate these—all the more better,” Fajardo said. 

According to Fajardo, there are five cops named Albotra listed as officers in the PNP system, and only Captain Kenneth Albotra remains as an active officer. 

“So definitely, he will be considered as one of the persons to be investigated by the PNP. To be fair to him, although he was saying that he was not the one being referred to—but, definitely, he will be questioned in respect to this case po,” she said. 

Fajardo also stressed that other available evidence still needed to substantiate Garma’s claim that Albotra was really involved in the EJKs. 

“We really have to backtrack. The investigation is ongoing. We will look into that. As of now, I wouldn’t want to preempt the investigation of these cases,” she added, noting that “it’s too premature” to pin-point anyone only by listening to Garma’s claims. 

“We really have to give time to the CIDG to really dig deeper in these cases.”