Central Visayas top cop expects fair probe into Clarin mayor slay

FILE: Central Visayas Police regional director, Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon (Photo courtesy of De Leon FB Page via PNA)

MANILA — Central Visayas Police regional director, Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon on Friday was confident that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will come out with a fair probe into the killing of Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro.

In a press conference with Palace reporters, de Leon said President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to tap the NBI as the fact-finding body to investigate Navarro’s death was a “welcome” move to ensure fair findings on the case.

“It is a welcome development when the President issued orders for NBI to take over the investigation… It will spare us from bias outcome of the investigation,” he said.

The NBI is investigating the killing of Navarro upon the President’s directive and after receiving pertinent documents from Cebu City police.

Navarro was in police custody when he was killed by unidentified assailants in Cebu City on October 25.

Navarro, who was included on the government’s narco-list, was shot to death while he was on his way to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for an inquest proceeding over a slight physical injuries charge lodged by a female masseur.

Malacañang earlier condemned the killing of Navarro, saying the rule of law must be observed despite his supposed links to illegal drugs.

The incident prompted President Duterte on October 28 to direct the Philippine National Police (PNP) to stop its ongoing probe and hand over the documents and evidence to the NBI.

Cebu police chief, Col. Gemma Vinluan has been relieved from her post to pave the way for an impartial investigation into the Navarro’s slay.

De Leon said the police would cooperate with the NBI for the swift conclusion of the case.

“As I have said, we welcomed the development and we subscribed to the order of the President. But any information leading to the solution of the case, we will provide the lead agency to further validate the information,” he said.