Ambushed Clarin mayor’s family says he was not provided enough security

The family of killed Clarin Mayor David Navarro on Sunday questioned the security given by the local police force who were part of his convoy, which was ambushed last week.

In a report by Jonathan Andal on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday,  Princess Navarro said none of the police officers accompanying her brother fired back at the gunmen who shot him dead.

"How could it have happened? He was arrested without warrant, detained without charge, in police custody and under escort ambushed, but the only one singled out and executed without the escorts even firing a single return fire? How could that have happened?" she said.

David Navarro was killed in an ambush in Cebu City at 2:10 p.m. on October 25 while he was being transported to the City Prosecutor's Office. The gunmen fled the scene.

The ambush took place after David was arrested Thursday night for allegedly punching a massage therapist, and supposedly asking one of the female employees to perform lewd acts.

Navarro was in a convoy of three police vehicles.

In the first car were four Cebu City police officers, the two complainants, a witness, and a friend of the witness.

In the second vehicle were Navarro, his sisters Princess and Lang Lang, a Clarin police officer, and a relative of the Navarros.

In the third vehicle were two police escorts in civilian clothing, family friends, and Clarin municipal Hall employees.

A white van cut the convoy off, with five to 10 gunmen incapacitating the policemen and firing several times at Navarro, who was killed on the spot.

The first car had already made a turn when the attack happened, so only the second and third vehicle in the convoy were blocked.

Princess said that she took cover when the firing started.

"Nung nahulog ako, gumapang ako sa ilalim ng patrol. Doon sa ilalim ng patrol, hinintay ko na lang kung ilan kayang bala ang tatama sa katawan ko," she narrated.

"Pero paglingon ko sa left side ko, nakita ko na 'yung kuya ko na basag 'yung ulo niya," she said.

After conducting a reenactment of the ambush, Central Visayas police chief Brigadier General Valeriano De Leon said that the cops were not able to get a shot off because it all happened too quickly.

The local police also said that they followed the proper security protocol needed to transport David to the City Prosecutor's Office.

"Actually, si Mayor, byinahe namin papuntang court naka-bullet vest. Tignan niyo ang preparation namin—'yung harapan ng sasakyan, puro police ko 'yun. 'Yung nasa likuran puro police ko rin," said Cebu City Police chief Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan.

"Even 'yung hepe ko, kasama doon sa convoy. 'Yung nasa gilid niya, 'yung hepe na pinili niya," she added.

Vinluan also said that the mayor's own chosen security escorts did not fire back.

"Noong niratrat 'yung likod, 'yung tail escorts, ng mga bala, pinababa 'yung lahat ng mga nakasakay ng mga police, tsaka pinadapa. Nandun 'yung hepe niya, nandun 'yung isa pang police niya, andoon 'yung mga escorts niya. 'Di sana sila ang nanlaban para malaman natin 'yung police hindi nag-react," she said.

"Eh hindi rin sila nanlaban eh. So bakit niyo parang sinasabi hindi kami nag-react," added Vinluan.

The Navarro family said it is still looking at the possibility of filing cases should there be any leads, but they are apprehensive who to approach.

"Hindi naman namin alam kung may justice ba talaga. Sino bang hihingan namin ng tulong nito? Police? Police rin naman kasama namin noong pinagbabaril [kami]," said Princess. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas and Jonathan Andal/BM, GMA News