Politics eyed as a possible motive in Laguna mayor’s death: PNP

December 8, 2020

Police are considering politics as one of the possible motives in the killing of Los Banos Mayor Ceasar Perez, the regional director of Calabarzon police said on Tuesday.

“That angle is what we are saying as a possible motive. Maybe that is one but we are not sure until now but in the course of our investigation, we are looking at politics,” Brig. Gen Felipe Natividad said in a press briefing.

Natividad said they are interviewing Perez's family members and other personalities, especially those who are his political rivals.

“Our investigation is continuing. We are trying to talk to those people… Actually we have talked to family members… When the mayor was still alive, he mentioned something to us. So we are eyeing at some people in our investigation… It's part of the case investigation plan that we are doing,” he said.

Natividad said the SITG Perez is reviewing all the CCTV footage around the municipal hall where Perez was shot last December 3.

“We have no suspect yet because (in) the review of our SITG on the CCTV where  the actual incident happened, we saw a vehicle there but we cannot see any silhouette of a person,” Natividad said.

Asked about the threats being received by the mayor, Natividad said they did not recover his cellphone in the crime scene.

“We are talking to his family about the cellphone because that is important so our SITG is conferring with members of the family or other people (in the crime scene) if they got hold of the cell phone,” he said.

Allegedly, Perez is facing charges filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) over his alleged involvement in illegal drugs after his name was included in the narcolist submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte.

However, during his public address last Monday night, Duterte disowned the list saying he does not know Perez and he cannot even remember that his name was among those he read in the public.

"But I tell you that (narco politicians') list is not mine. It's a collation. All those came from the intelligence report of the drug enforcement and military, police intelligence. It's a combination," Duterte said.

"As a matter of obligation, I had to come up with the names of those suspected so that the public will be aware and prevent their ascension to public office. That's my purpose for that," he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS