Cebu City's police director was relieved over the ambush of Clarin Mayor David Navarro, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.

Police Brigadier General Val De Leon, the acting PNP Central Visayas regional director, said in a statement Col. Gemma Vinluan was administratively relieved to pave way for an investigation.

“I issued administrative relief of Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan, city director of Cebu City police office, to make her available for the investigation being conducted,” he said.

De Leon said the relief of Vinluan is effective on Wednesday upon turnover of the case to NBI.

Navarro was shot dead while police were bringing him to the prosecutor's office in Cebu City for an inquest on October 25. He was facing a complaint from a massage therapist for for physical injuries and alleged acts of lasciviousness.

De Leon said President Rodrigo Duterte’s instruction to turn over the investigation on the death of Navarro to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is a “welcome development”.

“The President's instruction to turn over the investigation to MBI is a welcome development. It will provide a perception of impartial investigation sparing us of suspicion of possible whitewash,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS