MANILA – Malacañang has urged the public to wait for the results of the investigation on the murder of Los Baños, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez amid allegations that police officers were involved in the crime.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after Vice President Leni Robredo said the killing of Perez, along with other similar cases, allegedly showed “as if killings are being normalized”.
Roque said law enforcement is already looking into the shooting of Perez, who was earlier linked to the narcotics trade.
“Ang ating mensahe po kay Vice Presidente Leni Robredo, hintayin naman po natin ang imbestigasyon, dahil hindi naman po instant iyan. Mayroon po talagang mga hakbang na ginagawa ang kapulisan para ma-identify kung sino ang pumatay bago tayo magkaroon ng conclusion (Our message to Vice President Leni Robredo is let’s wait for the result of the investigation because that’s not instant. There are steps that need to be taken by police to identify who killed him before we make a conclusion),” he said in a press briefing on Monday.
He said government forces will see to it that perpetrators will face charges and other sanctions or penalties.
“Ang obligasyon ng estado ng Pilipinas ay para imbestigahan, litisin ang mga pumapatay at bigyan ng remedyo sang-ayon sa ating batas ang mga nagiging biktima ng paglabag ng karapatang mabuhay (The obligation of the Philippine state is to investigate, prosecute those who kill and give remedies in accordance with our law to those who become victims of human rights violations),” he said.
Roque said the government could also provide legal remedies to the family of the slain mayor.
“Ginagampanan naman po ng estado ang kaniyang obligasyon, iniimbestigahan at bibigyan po natin ng remedyo sang-ayon sa lokal na batas natin ang mga mahal sa buhay ni Mayor (The state is fulfilling its obligation, we are investigating and we will give remedies in accordance with our local law to the Mayor’s loved ones),” he added.
He also assured Aldus, the youngest son of the late mayor, that President Rodrigo Duterte would make sure his family would attain justice for his father’s death.
“Kagaya ng aking sinabi, responsibilidad po iyan ng estado at gagawin po iyan, sisiguraduhin po iyan ng Presidente dahil ang Presidente ang pangunahing executioner ng batas, tagapagpatupad po ng batas (As I said, that is the responsibility of the state and it will do that, the President will make sure of that because the President is the main executioner of the law, law enforcement),” he said.
Roque, meanwhile, said the government’s list of narco-politicians was based on evidence as gathered and supplied by law enforcement agencies.
“Ang pagkakaintindi ko naman po, mayroon talagang mga impormasyon diyan, bagama’t hindi pa po siguro sapat para tumayo na kaso sa ating mga hukuman. So, hindi naman po iyan out of thin air, mayroon naman pong basehan iyan, pero at the same time, ang pagkakaalam ko po ay hindi pa po nakasuhan, dahil nagki-case build up pa po (As far as I understand, there is really information there, although it may not be enough to stand a case in our courts. So, it is not out of thin air, there is a basis for that, but at the same time, as far as I know, no one has been charged because there is still this case build up),” he said.
Duterte, in several speeches, bared a “narco-list” of incumbent and former officials, lawmakers, judges, and uniformed personnel suspected to be involved in the illegal drug trade.
He has also repeatedly insisted that revealing their names was his “sworn duty”.
Perez was shot dead by unidentified assailants inside the municipal hall in Los Baños on Thursday.
He was earlier included in the government narco-list, but he had repeatedly denied the claim.
In 2017, Perez’s younger brother Ruel was also killed by two men who were aboard a motorcycle.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is currently investigating the murder of Perez.