Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday urged the police to go after the mastermind behind the killings of Barangay Bagong Silangan chairperson Crisell Beltran and her driver, Melchor Salita.
In a media interview, Bautista said “there could be a lot of things—may be drugs, land, syndicates, politics, [or] love. There are many angles.”
“First of all, I am too saddened by the turn of events. I wasn’t here when that happened. I thank the Quezon City Police District for its lead to get the suspects,” he said.
“But what is more important is to know who ordered the killing,” he added.
He said Beltran, who was seeking a congressional seat in the 2019 mid-term election, was a childhood friend and one of the city’s youth leaders.
He, however, declined to comment further, saying he has yet to receive and read the police report.
“I have to base my statement on the report,” he said.
Bautista was in the United States when Beltran, who was on board her Ford Everest is driven by Salita, was attacked and shot to death.
Four other companions were injured during the incident on Jan. 31 on broad daylight.