Behind the police line is the bullet-riddled van of San Fernando Mayor Lakambini “Neneth” Reluya who was ambushed in Barangay Linao, Talisay City on Tuesday night, Jan. 22, 2019. Killed in the ambush were Reluya’s husband Ricardo, a sitting councilor as president of the town’s Association of Barangay Councils; her driver; and the municipal tourism officer. Reluya survived the attack.| CDNDigital photo / Benjie Talisic
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Cebu Chapter has urged the police for a speedy investigation into the ambush on the group of San Fernando Mayor Lakambini “Neneth”Reluya that cost the lives of her husband, driver and the town’s tourism officer.
Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante, who heads the LMP Cebu Chapter, said would give his full trust to the police that it would be able to solve the case the soonest.
“We fully trust the investigation of our PNP (Philippine National Police), as they are the ones authorized in handling such. And (we’re) hoping for the immediate result (of the investigation) into this case,” Diamante said told Cebu Daily News Digital.
Mayor Reluya, her husband and San Fernando’s incumbent Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr. , and four other companions were on board a white Toyota Grandia that was traversing the national highway in Barangay Linao, Talisay City when a group of armed men peppered their vehicle with bullets.
Read: San Fernando mayor survives ambush
The ambush killed the male Reluya, driver Allan Bayot and the town’s Tourism, Investment and Promotions Officer Ricky Monterona.
“Being the LMP President for Cebu Chapter and in behalf of all municipal mayors, we are sending our deepest condolences to Mayor Neneth Reluya. This is a very painful incident to her due to the death of her husband, Nonoy Reluya. Let us all say a prayer for the whole family of Reluya and faster recovery of Mayor Neneth,” said Diamante.
The Palace, on Wednesday morning, issued a statement condemning the incident.
Presidential Spokesman and Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said in the statement that the PNP has been instructed to solve the case the soonest time possible.
Read PRO-7 accepts challenge to solve San Fernando mayor’s ambush in two weeks
Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, in a press conference Wednesday, said they were looking at a number of motives into the ambush but eyed politics as the likely one, Mayor Reluya also suspected the same thing.
The mayor is seeking reelection in May with her husband as her runningmate.
According to Sinas, the mayor has told the police that they had been getting death threats prior to the ambush. / elb