Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in Cebu will undertake the investigation on the killing of Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro, a Justice department official said on Tuesday.
“Per NBI, their Cebu Regional Office will investigate the killing of Mayor Navarro,” Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said, in a text message.
The NBI stepped into the probe after President Rodrigo Duterte raised suspicion that policemen were behind the death of Mayor Navarro and ordered the Philippine National Police to terminate its ongoing investigation.
Last Sunday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that he would leave it to the PNP to investigate the killing of Navarro, but last Monday, President Duterte ordered the NBI to handle the investigation.
Even in the absence of an order from the DOJ, the NBI should already begin its probe since the orders came straight from the Chief Executive, Perete said.
“The President has control over the entire Executive Department, including the PNP and the NBI. His directive should therefore be sufficient for the NBI to commence its probe. Nevertheless, and purely for record-keeping purposes, the DOJ shall issue a Department Order reiterating the President’s directive to the NBI,” Perete said.
Duterte’s order to transfer the investigation to the NBI should also dispel doubts that the President was involved in the mayor’s killing. Navarro’s name reportedly appeared in Duterte’s narco-list.
“Given the circumstances surrounding the killing of Clarin Mayor Navarro, the President’s directive for the NBI to take over the investigation of the incident should quell any doubts regarding this government’s commitment to solve the case and bring to account those responsible,” Perete added.
The Clarin Mayor was in the custody of the police and was being escorted to the prosecutor’s office in Cebu when armed men blocked their vehicle, pulled Navarro out of the car and killed him.
Inside the police car were two sisters of Navarro and the chief of police of Clarin. Reports said that none of the police escort fired at the suspects.