Rizal mayor included in Duterte narco-list survives ambush but 2 companions hurt

Teresa,Rizal map. Photo: Google maps
Teresa,Rizal map. Photo: Google maps

The mayor of Teresa town in Rizal, whom President Rodrigo Duterte accused of being involved in the drug trade, survived an ambush attempt in his hometown yesterday.

Mayor Raul Palino, his driver Joel Balajadia, and bodyguard Ruel Santos were on board a van when they were attacked by an unidentified shooter in the village of Poblacion on E. Rodriguez Avenue at about 5pm. Balajadia and Santos were hit but the mayor was unscathed. The two victims were rushed to Saint Therese Hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, the gunman fled to the neighboring town of Antipolo. A manhunt has been launched to track down the assailant and an investigation is ongoing to determine the motives behind the crime.

Palino was one of 46 politicians whom Duterte included in his 2019 narco-list, comprised of people who were allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. The list came from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and was validated by a group called the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, whose members include officials from the PDEA, police, military, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

However, Palino denied the president’s allegation.

 



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