NBI in Central Visayas probes Misamis Occidental mayor’s slay in Cebu City

Mayor David Navarro of Clarin, Misamis Occidental is shot to death along M. Velez Street Cebu City. CDN Digital photo | Alven Marie A. Timtim

CEBU CITY –– The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) has launched on Tuesday its probe on the killing of Mayor David Navarro of Clarin town, Misamis Occidental, who was attacked by armed men while he was in police custody in this city.

NBI-7 assistant regional director Dominador Cimafranca said they initiated their investigation as they were expecting highly sensational cases to be brought to them.

The NBI-7 officials were at the Cebu City Police Office on Tuesday afternoon to secure the pieces of evidence which included video footage of seven security cameras.

Cimafranca said NBI headquarters in Manila would help out in the case. They will also coordinate with the NBI in Mindanao to check the accounts of the Navarro family on the incident.

“We will coordinate with the family because the family is part of the convoy,” said Cimafranca.

Navarro was gunned down as he was being transported by the police to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office at past 2 p.m. on October 25.

At least four masked men, carrying high-powered firearms, reportedly dragged Navarro from the police car and fired at him along M. Velez Street in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

The incident happened a day after the mayor was arrested by the police for allegedly mauling a masseur and requesting a masseuse to massage his private part in a parlor in uptown Cebu City.

Floating the possibility that the police may be involved in the slaying of Navarro, President Duterte on Monday instructed the police to stop their probe and to let the NBI take over.

Police Col. Gemma Vinluan, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said they welcomed the decision of the President to delegate the investigation to the NBI-7.

She said they were relieved that a workload had been taken from them.

She said they would cooperate with the NBI. With reports from Nestle Semilla