Slain Clarin mayor’s body transported to his hometown

The body of Clarin Mayor, David Navarro, transported in a vessel to be brought back to hometown at around 7 p.m. tonight, October 26, 2019. | CDN Files / Alven Marie A. Timtim

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The casket that contained the remains of slain Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro  left  Cebu City en route to his hometown on board an inter-island vessel at  7 p.m. of Saturday, October 26, 2019.

Navarro’s sister, Princess Navarro Madarang and a few other of their relatives and escorts, boarded the the vessel at Pier 1 at around 4:30p.m, for the trip that was headed for Iligan City via Ozamis City. From Ozamis City, Navarro’s remain will be brought to his hometown Clarin, which is 22.4 kilometers from Ozamis.

Four men from Rolling Hills Memorial Chapels located at A.S. Fortuna Street, Mandaue City  also escorted the family of Navarro in bringing his body back to his hometown, as requested by Madarang.

Rolling Hills funeral director Fernando Bertulfo told CDN Digital that the family asked him if they could bring their services all the way to Misamis Occidental.

“Ang gusto sa family, kami naman ang mag service sa ilang lugar (The family wanted our services to be brought with them in their hometown),” said Bertulfo.

During the preparation at the Rolling Hills Memorial Chapel for the transfer of the remains of Navarro,  Madarang declined to give a statement to the media, except to say that they only wanted to bring his body to his hometown.

“Gusto lang mi maka uli (We just want to go home),” she said.

Bertulfo revealed that Navarro’s  family gave them instruction to inform reporters that they would not entertain any interview related to the mayor’s ambush-slay.

The mayor was  arrested on Thursday, October 24, after he was accused of mauling a message therapist. he was on board a police car with several escorts on his way to the Cebu City Prosecutors Office to face charges involving the mauling incident when the police convoy was waylaid by a group of armed men while traversing M. Velez Street on Friday afternoon, October 25.

The mayor was then pulled out of the police car by the attackers and was shot in the head. The mayor was the lone fatality in the incident but four others, including two Cebu City policemen, were wounded in the attack.

Beltulfo revealed that Navarro’s  family availed a package service including the restoration process of the mayor’s face, which Bertulfo described to have been destroyed as a result of the close up range shot when he was killed.

“Ang gi himo sa amoang embalmer, iyahang gi restore ang nawong ni mayor within six hours (What our embalmer did was to restore the mayor’s face within six hours),” said Bertulfo.

He said Navarro’s family occupied one of their special room while  while waiting for Navarro’s body, which arrived at the memorial home past 4 p.m. on Friday, October 25, 2019./elb