CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Friends had warned whistleblower Niruh Kyle Antatico to take it easy.

“Ayaw pagkompyansa, barato ra kaayo ang kinabuhi karon,” one of them told him. (Don’t let your guard down because life is cheap these days.)

But Antatico refused to stop. The former senior legal researcher at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Northern Mindanao said he could not turn away from the farmers who came to him, pleading for help.

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Percival Batar, a close friend and teammate in their Saturday football club, told Rappler that their last conversation on October 4 was again about the alleged corruption inside NIA, the supposedly unfinished and “ghost” irrigation projects and overpriced materials, and the death threats Antatico had been receiving after his posts on social media.

Six days later, on Friday, October 10, Antatico was shot dead in broad daylight while driving a car near a military camp along a busy road in Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro.

Batar said on Monday, October 13, that Antatico had recently resigned from NIA after being transferred from the legal office to procurement. Batar said the reassignment came after Antatico wrote a letter, made public on Facebook, addressed to Administrator Eduardo Guillen, Regional Manager Larry Franada, and Lanao del Sur Manager Abdulrahim Paunte.

In the letter, Antatico asked the NIA central office to inspect a P75-million irrigation canal project in Lanao del Sur. The project, declared completed in late 2022, was allegedly broken, silted, and unusable. But, on paper, it was finished, signed off, and paid for.

“Are we merely implementing irrigation projects, paying contractors, and then abandoning them? Are we allowing these projects to deteriorate so they can be later funded again for so-called ‘repairs’ or ‘restoration’?” read part of his letter to his superiors.

Batar said he knew Antatico had been receiving death threats via text messages since late 2024, but admitted they had not taken them seriously. “We all took them lightly and even laughed about it,” he said.

But, in early October, according to Batar, Antatico had become noticeably uneasy as he and their football group discussed his exposés and the death threats again.

The 40-year-old Antatico, who finished law studies at Liceo de Cagayan University, previously worked at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Northern Mindanao before joining NIA. He was known among friends as a quiet but steadfast government worker who spoke out against corruption despite mounting risks.

Antatico’s documentation of questionable irrigation projects and his Facebook posts provided a glimpse of the alleged use of substandard materials, falsified project reports, and inflated procurement costs in the NIA.

Antatico is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son still in grade school.

Cagayan de Oro’s two district representatives, Rufus Rodriguez and Lordan Suan, condemned the October 10 shooting of Antatico and called on authorities to act swiftly.

“The cowardly act committed by still unidentified assailants tried to silence Mr. Antatico’s pursuit of truth and accountability,” Rodriguez said. “In doing so, they instead amplified his voice and strengthened his cause.”

Rodriguez urged the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine National Police to ensure the perpetrators are identified, prosecuted, and punished.

“There is no room for violence, fear, or impunity in Cagayan de Oro City. The rule of law must prevail,” said Rodriguez.

Both congressmen hinted at a likely congressional investigation into Antatico’s killing and exposés.

“A Cagayanon has been killed,” Rodriguez said.

In a statement, the NIA regional office said it was aware of Antatico’s social media posts that raised concerns about some projects.

It said NIA’s top management had begun a review and verification of the issues Antatico raised, working with other offices and authorities.

NIA-Northern Mindanao extended its condolences to Antatico’s family and called on the public to refrain from speculation while investigations were underway. –Rappler.com