ILOILO City – Ilonggo businessman Rommel Ynion has offered a P100,000 reward to whoever could give information leading to the identification and arrest of the killers of Mercedes “Ging-ging” Nava, cousin of Councilor Plaridel Nava.
“The bounty should be higher. But that is all I can afford for now,” Ynion posted on Facebook.
Nava, 65, was gunned down on Jan. 4 in Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao district by two motorcycle-riding gunmen.
According to reports, Nava was supposed to testify in Congress soon regarding the alleged 24,000 fake signatures in a signature campaign against Panay Electric Company (PECO).
Ynion described the killing of Nava as “cowardice at its worst.”
“I am offering P100,000 to whoever can lead authorities to the gunmen and mastermind of this horrific crime…I would like to urge moneyed Ilonggos to help me raise the reward to P5 million,” Ynion posted in his Facebook account.
The killing was no laughing matter, he stressed.
“If this continues unabated, the next victim could be any of you. Let’s stand up and fight this menace to our society. Please share this post. Make it viral if you can until it reaches a crescendo to awaken authorities to the urgency of this matter,” added Ynion.
In 2012, Nava linked cousin Councilor Plaridel Nava to a grenade-throwing incident at Bali Hotel owned by Ynion. The councilor denied the allegation.
On Saturday, Councilor Nava flatly denied having anything to do with the assassination of his estranged cousin.
“That is something I cannot do because indi na ‘ya aton character,” he stressed, although he acknowledged having a testy relationship with his cousin since 2012.
“Kon ako may plano nga patyon sia, indi subong nga election period nga makaapekto sa akon kon ako ang pasibangdan,” Councilor Nava told Panay News.
The councilor is running for vice mayor in the May 13, 2019 midterm elections.
In 2012, the cousins had a very public feud. Mercedes accused the councilor of having a mistress and a child out of wedlock.
In the 2013 election, Mercedes also campaigned against her cousin.
To solve the crime, the councilor said the police must also look into Mercedes’ background.
December last year, Nava and her group hogged the headlines. She claimed the signatures in a signature drive against the renewal of PECO’s franchise were fake.
“Who instigated or financed her? I believe these are the very same people who had her killed then planned to have me as the fall guy. Ina nga anggulo dapat tan-awon sang pulis,” said Councilor Nava.
He urged the police to explore all possible angles.
His cousin faced many court cases such as estafa and violation of Batas Pambansa 22 (issuing bouncing checks), revealed Councilor Nava./PN
