Cebu (CNN Philippines, October 29) — The National Bureau of Investigation–Central Visayas has launched its own probe into the killing of Mayor David Navarro on Tuesday, following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte the night before.
NBI-7 assistant regional director Dominador Cimafranca said the investigation will be separate from that of the police and has “started from scratch.” Navarro, the mayor of Clarin in Misamis Occidental, was gunned down in Cebu City last Friday.
For her part, Cebu City Police Office Director PCol Gemma Vinluan said they welcome the President’s decision to delegate the investigation to the NBI-7. She said her unit is not demoralized but instead felt relieved that the workload has been taken from them.
Vinluan said they will cooperate with the NBI, even if it would mean investigating some of their policemen.
The attack follows Navarro’s arrest at the Mactan Cebu International Airport Thursday for allegedly assaulting a male masseur in a massage parlor in the city. While in police custody, Navarro was shot dead the next day by a group of armed men who blocked their police convoy which was headed towards the Cebu City Prosecutors Office along M. Velez Street. His security escorts were unable to stop the ambush.
Cimafranca said even before the President made the announcement, the NBI already started its own parallel investigation as they are expecting highly sensational cases like this to be brought to them. The case of the ambush will not be new to them, adding that they expect the family of the slain victim to run to the NBI for a separate investigation.
Cimafranca also said that they will have additional personnel from the NBI headquarters in Manila to help out in the case. They will also be coordinating with the NBI offices in Mindanao to find out the Navarro family’s account of the incident.
“Definitely we will coordinate with the family because the family is part of the convoy,” said Cimafranca.
Human rights commission, Navarro family on separate probe
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights-Central Visayas (CHR-7) said it is communicating with the immediate family of the slain mayor as part of the agency’s own probe.
“We have established contacts with the family. But we cannot [divulge] for the meantime what we have talked with the family,” CHR-7 chief investigator Leo Villarino said.
The agency’s separate investigation comes as Navarro’s case was another “death while under police custody,” Villarino added.
The President ordered the PNP to terminate its investigation into the killing of Navarro to ensure a fair probe, as he said PNP personnel could be behind the slay. Vinluan, however, believes Duterte would not ditch policemen over this case.
In a speech in Malacañang on Monday, Duterte confirmed that Navarro met with him two months before his death and told him that “someone is out to get him.”
