By Tara Yap
Iloilo City—A city councilor has deplored the arrest of his two security aides as illegal.
“There was no warrant!” exclaimed Plaridel Nava II in an interview with Manila Bulletin Tuesday.
A day earlier, Iloilo City police chief Sr. Supt. Martin Defensor, led the arrest of brothers Julius and Roy de Los Reyes in front of Nava at Iloilo City Hall Monday.
Defensor said the arrest was part of hot pursuit operation against two suspects who murdered Mercedes “Ging-Ging” Nava, the cousin of Councilor Nava, last Friday.
While the cousins fought publicly for years, Councilor Nava denied any involvement. He pointed out that Ging-Ging Nava was still family.
Councilor Nava insisted the police planted guns and grenades, which were found when the two brothers were arrested.
He noted that Ging-Ging Nava’s murder is falsely linked to him and his political allies because of the issue of power distribution in the city.
Councilor Nava belongs to a group that opposes Panay Electric Co. (PECO), the current power distributor but its franchise is set to expire on Jan. 19.
Ging-Ging Nava claimed last year that majority of signatures denouncing PECO’s services were fake. These signatures were submitted to Congress by Councilor Nava’s group. There were also rumors that Ging-Ging Nava is set to testify in a congressional hearing.
“What congressional hearing? The issue is already done,” Councilor Nava pointed out.
The Lower House and the Senate already approved the franchise of Razon-owned MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power), which is awaiting the bills to become law.
Meanwhile, Councilor Nava is mulling on filing administrative and criminal charges against ICPO for nabbing his two security aides without a warrant.