Slain mayor laid to rest as probe begins

CEBU, Philippines — Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro was laid to rest in his hometown yesterday, nine days after he was killed brutally during an ambush in Cebu City on October 25.

A member of Navarro’s staff who requested anonymity told The Freeman that the mayor was buried at his family’s compound.

Prior to the burial, however, his remains were brought to the Misamis Occidental Municipal Hall from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. and to the Bible Baptist Church.

His remains arrived in Misamis Occidental on October 27, two days after the ambush.

Navarro was shot several times by still unidentified men who blocked the convoy that was bringing him to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest proceedings.

Police said Navarro sustained 12 gunshot wounds. They recovered 67 empty bullet shells from the crime scene.

The police, which had custody over Navarro during the incident, were about to file formal charges against him for allegedly mauling a spa attendant and harassing a massage therapist two days prior. He was arrested as he was about to fly out of Cebu on October 24.

Navarro’s family is seeking for justice.

The National Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into the killing upon orders of no less than President Rodrigo Duterte. The President has raised suspicion that policemen were behind the ambush.

Last week, NBI Deputy Director for Operations Antonio Pagatpat announced the bureau has taken over the investigation.

Alongside this, Cebu City Police Director Gemma Vinluan was relieved from her post, something that she said was expected.

"That is expected kasi even sa previous interview sa'kin, sinabi ko na rin na the Cebu City Police is open for investigation to find out if we had lapses during the incident (That is expected because as I have said in previous interviews, the police are open for investigation to see if we committed security lapses during the incident),” Vinluan said.

NBI-7 Director Tomas Enrile said earlier they will look into Navarro’s history, especially that his sister, Princess, had disclosed to authorities that Navarro had received several death threats.

“We have to conduct a background investigation dito kay Mayor Navarro at ma-interview natin kung sino ba talaga ang mga naging kaaway o nakalitan nito (We have to conduct a background investigation on Mayor Navarro and interviews so we will know who he had a conflict with),” Enrile said.

“Kasi hindi papatay ng tao kung walang dahilan. Hindi papatay ng tao kung walang mabigat na dahilan (No one will kill without reason. No one will kill without serious reason),” Enrile said. (FREEMAN)