CLARIN, MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL — The remains of Clarin town Mayor David Navarro arrived Sunday morning from Cebu City and his body now lies at his residence in Barangay Lapasan.
Navarro died in an ambush in Cebu City on Friday, Oct. 25, while he was on his way to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for an inquest proceedings on charges of slight physical injuries and acts of lasciviousness.
He was charged by a masseur for slight physical injuries and acts of lasciviousness by a masseuse.
Navarro’s white coffin, draped with the national flag, arrived at the Ozamiz City port past 6:30 a.m. Sunday.
In a hall decorated with white fresh flowers, floors covered with a green mat, the remains were placed beside Navarro’s blown-up photograph.
The family asked for an exclusive time until 12 noon Sunday after which visitors started to arrive.
Navarro’s family told Cebu City’s Police Director Gemma Vinluan that an organized criminal group based in Ozamiz City was behind the killing.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has formed a Special Investigation Task Group to investigate the case of Navarro.
Vinluan said they are looking into several motives behind the mayor’s ambush, including political, business, personal and illegal drugs.
Navarro was listed as the eighth on President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of high-value targets involved in the illegal drug trade.
The late mayor was identified as the leader of the Alferez Robbery Group that had targeted banks around the country.
Meanwhile, the municipal vice mayor of Clarin has taken her oath 4 p.m. Friday, two hours after Navarro died.
Emeterio Roa Jr., head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said Vice Mayor Glorife Roa, her mother, took her oath before a judge from Ozamiz City.
On Monday, the municipal’s first councilor, Mel Davidson Navarro, will take his oath as the vice mayor.
Mel is David’s second child whose elder brother died in a suicide last year. Mel took the position vacated by his brother. In 2019 elections, Mel ran and won.
The younger Roa, who spoke to the media on behalf of the new mayor, said there are three priorities that the new administration will undertake on Monday.
On the other hand, Bonifacio town mayor Samson Dumanjog, who is also the president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines-Misamis Occidental chapter, was the first to visit the wake.
Dumanjog said the death of his fellow mayor is still very hard to accept.
The Navarro family has scheduled the burial on November 3 just beside their house. (With reports from Paul Allegre)
