MANILA- Slain Tanauan Mayor Angelo Halili was not involved in illegal drugs, his daughter insisted Thursday.

This, after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the slain official had ties with a narcotics ring in Batangas and another mayor in Central Luzon who allegedly has several drug operations.

• Slain Batangas mayor had drug links, PDEA insists

"Nakakatawa kasi wala naman silang makukuhang ebidensiya dahil wala talaga," Angeline Halili, daughter of the slain mayor told ANC Thursday.

"Hangin at mga salita, salita. Hearsay lang 'yan," she added.

(It's funny because they will not find any evidence because there really is none. That is just air and words. Those are only hearsay.)

• Duterte given wrong info on slain Tanauan mayor, says daughter

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Known for parading suspected criminals, the Tanauan mayor was gunned down last Monday by a sniper during a flag-raising ceremony.

• 'Walk of shame' mayor shot dead
• Tanauan mayor was 'easy target' from assassin's perch: police

Hours after the killing, President Rodrigo Duterte said the mayor could have used his "walk of shame" campaign as a ploy to hide his involvement in illegal drugs.

• Duterte slams slain Tanauan city mayor

Angeline insisted that there was no basis for allegations linking her father to illegal drugs.

"Imposibleng-imposible kasi wala. Magmamagic sila diyan. Ang kinatatakot ko lang eh biglang pupunta sila tapos magpa-plant sila [ng droga]," she said.

"That would be hilarious na lang and pathetic of them," she added.

(It is very impossible because there is none. They will have to fabricate evidence. What I'm afraid of is that they might come here and plant illegal drugs.)

Malacañang on Thursday denied claims that the killing of Halili was state-sponsored, saying the allegations are "unfounded."

• Palace: Halili killing not state-sponsored