Aguirre says ‘narco-politician’ possibly behind Infanta prosecutor’s slay

DOJ Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre II. INQUIRER.net / Jhoanna Ballaran

Authorities are looking into the alleged involvement of a narco-politician in Quezon province in the murder of a prosecutor in the town of Infanta, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II revealed on Friday.

According to Aguirre, investigators were zeroing in on the supposed hand of a local government official in the killing of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Reymund Luna, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Barangay Gumian last week.

“Lumalabas na ang nagpa-order ng kanyang (It appears that the ones who ordered his) liquidation ay drug lords somewhere in Quezon,” Aguirre told INQUIRER.net.

When asked if the alleged drug lords were government officials, Aguirre said: “Yun ang lumalabas, pero the investigation is still in its infancy kaya wala akong maibibigay na information.”

Aguirre pinned a black ribbon on his jacket in observance of the “Black Friday” protest in the DOJ to condemn the series of killings of state prosecutors in the country and show solidarity with the victims’ families.

“This is together with all the other employees in the DOJ family, this is to express our feeling of solidarity with the family to show that we really express our sorrow for the passing of Prosecutor Luna of Infanta,” he said.

The secretary has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the death of Luna, the seventh state prosecutor slain under the Duterte administration.     /kga