MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte questioned the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the death of Mayor David Navarro of Clarin, Misamis Occidental as he ordered the police to stop their investigation.
Duterte said he wanted the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to take over the probe.
Navarro, who was on Duterte’s list of alleged narco-politicians, was killed in an ambush as he was being escorted by the police for inquest proceedings to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office on October 25.
The President claimed Navarro, who met with him two weeks before he was shot dead, was his supporter during the last elections.
Duterte claimed “somebody is out to get him,” referring to Navarro.
“Kaya nga sinasabi ko, PNP, anong ginawa ng PNP? Baka sila ang pumatay? E sila yung malapit,” he said.
(That’s why I said, “What did the PNP do? Maybe they were the ones who killed him?” They were the ones near him).
Duterte said he wanted the probe to be fair so he preferred the police out of the investigation.
“Anyway iniimbestigahan pa. It’s being investigated by the NBI. Mas gusto ko NBI na lang para walang… kasi nung nangyari yan kasama ang pulis e. To make it really fair, I’d like the PNP to terminate their investigation and hand it to the NBI whatever documents and/or proof or evidence that they have in their hands,“ he said.
(Anyway, it is still being investigated. It’s being investigated by the NBI. I prefer the NBI because the police were there when it happened. To make it really fair, I’d like the PNP to terminate their investigation and hand it to the NBI whatever documents and/or proof or evidence that they have in their hands).