Villarino
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas (CHR-7) has issued subpoenas to policemen who were part of the convoy that escorted slain Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office when he was killed on October 25, 2019.
Leo Villarino, CHR-7 chief investigator, said that among those who were issued subpoenas was Police Major Eduard Sanchez, former station commander of the Abella Police Station where Navarro was detained for his physical injuries case.
Around ten subpoenas were sent out today, November5, Villarino said.
“(As) part of our routine procedure, we will wait for the reply to our subpoena,” he said.
Read more: Family of slain Clarin mayor Navarro cooperating with NBI investigation – Enrile
Villarino said they will continue with the conduct of a parallel investigation on Navarro’s ambush-slay even after the National Bureau of Investigation Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO) already started their formal investigation on the Clarin mayor’s death.
Their investigation, Villarin said, will focus on determining how and why the ambush happened.
As soon as they receive favorable response from Sanchez and the other policemen, Villarin said that they will start to retrace what transpired in the afternoon of October 25 while Navarro and his police escorts were on their way to the City Prosecutor’s Office for the slain mayor’s scheduled inquest.
Villarino said that Navarro’s police escorts can also be considered as witnesses to his killing because they were with him during his murder.
He said that they will also sending subpoenas to other individuals who witnessed Navarro’s ambush-slay.
Meanwhile, Villarino said they continue to study if there was a need to also send a separate subpoena to Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan, former head of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Police Brigadier General Valeriano De Leon ordered Vinluan’s relief on October 30 for command responsibility. He also had Sanchez relieved on November 1. / dcb