Physical assault, Lascivious Acts: Misamis Occidental Mayor arrested

CEBU, Philippines — Trips to massage parlors are supposed to give comfort and relaxation but such was not the case for Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro.

Instead of relaxation, Navarro, 50, ended up being arrested yesterday after he allegedly mauled a 23-year-old massage parlor worker who failed to comply with his order for a female therapist, and when he got one, he allegedly solicited sexual favor from her.

The mauling incident was captured by a closed-circuit television camera installed at the Banyan Tree Spa located on the second floor of a hotel in midtown Cebu City.

In the footage that lasted one minute and 44 seconds, spa worker John Dueñas could be seen at the reception area, apparently anxious and expecting an attack to happen.

Moments later, Dueñas went outside to check if the mayor had left but when he learned that the mayor and his three bodyguards were rushing in, he walked back.

Navarro and his company caught up with Dueñas at the reception area. There, the mayor apparently delivered a blow to Dueñas’ stomach.

Navarro then held Dueñas’ two hands from the back, kicked him, and dragged him.

Drunk?

President Rodrigo Duterte tagged Navarro as one of the alleged narco mayors in the country twice -- in 2016 and 2019.

Yesterday, police arrested the mayor at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, 30 minutes before his scheduled flight back to Misamis in the afternoon.

His arrest came after Dueñas formally filed a complaint before the Abellana Police Station yesterday morning.

In his accounts, Dueñas said that Navarro and his company arrived in the shop apparently under the influence of alcohol.

“Pirmero ana, ni-inquire na sila og pa-massage. Unya mga hubog na sila. Sa among nahibaw-an, mayor na siya (At first, they inquired about our services. They were drunk. From what we know, he was a mayor),” Dueñas told reporters.

He said that Navarro used foul words talking to the cashier and the owner. Despite this, the owner remained accommodating.

Dueñas narrated that Navarro first requested for a female massage therapist but when told that no one was available, the mayor instead allegedly asked for a male therapist to go on a fistfight with him in exchange for P500 to P1,000.

Fellow workers later sought Dueñas’ help to pacify Navarro.

“Palihog lang, sir, kalma lang ta, sir (Please stay calm, sir),” he told Navarro.

But the latter instead allegedly replied: “Oh, isog ka, daot ka, niwang ka, ali diri (So you’re brave? You’re thin! Come here).”

That’s when Dueñas came back into the establishment and then mauled by the mayor.

It was later learned that even after the mauling, the mayor was still accommodated and given a female massage therapist.

The session was cut short though when the therapist walked out after the mayor allegedly asked her to touch his private part.

Navarro’s side

Navarro was reportedly in Cebu to attend an event.

Abellana police coordinated with the PNP-Aviation Security Unit when they learned that he had left for the airport.

In handcuffs, the mayor was brought back to Cebu City for police interrogation.

At the police station, Navarro said it was Dueñas who insulted him first. This, he said, prompted him to push the other aside.

“Gibastos ko niya una. Nahagit ko, maong ako siyang gibaklid (He insulted me first. I was provoked, so I pushed him aside),” he said.

Navarro did not give a categorical answer when asked whether there were truths to the claim that he solicited sexual favor from the female massage therapist.

He said he will let his lawyer handle his case.

Police Major Eduard Sanchez, chief of Abellana police, said they will be filing a possible charge of physical injuries and act of lasciviousness against the suspect.

“We will file a case against the mayor based sa iyang gihimo. First nga gibuhat niya nga pangdagmal sa usa ka trabahante sa spa, and ikaduha ang act of lasciviousness,” Sanchez said. JMD (FREEMAN)