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Los Baños residents mourn death of mayor Perez

By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno

December 8, 2020, 4:39 pm

<p><strong>JUSTICE FOR PEREZ</strong>. Residents call for justice as the remains of slain Los Baños mayor Caesar Perez were transferred from his residence to the municipal hall in Los Baños, Laguna on Tuesday (Dec. 8, 2020). Perez was shot and killed by two unidentified men at the Los Baños municipal compound on Dec. 3. <em>(PNA photo by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno)</em></p>

JUSTICE FOR PEREZ. Residents call for justice as the remains of slain Los Baños mayor Caesar Perez were transferred from his residence to the municipal hall in Los Baños, Laguna on Tuesday (Dec. 8, 2020). Perez was shot and killed by two unidentified men at the Los Baños municipal compound on Dec. 3. (PNA photo by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno)

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – What transpired during a five-hour stretch on Tuesday was not the way the residents here wanted to celebrate the holiday.

Instead of enjoying the Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion or even offer a prayer to Mother Mary, the constituents in this town mourned along with the family of the slain mayor Caesar Perez as his remains were transferred from his residence to the municipal hall here.

As early as 8 a.m., people living along Lopez Avenue already flocked at the sidewalks as they awaited the start of what seemed like a funeral march.

At around 9 a.m., Perez's remains were already inserted into the funeral car that was used for the procession, and the march quickly began afterward.

Some were already emotional, like an old lady who stood just outside the pathway toward the mayor's home.

"Humihingi ako ng hustisya sa aming mayor (I am asking for justice for our mayor)," she said in a loud cry.

Supporters of the slain mayor riding their vehicles then honked their horns as a call for justice to their beloved leader, who was killed on Thursday night.

The remains of slain Los Baños mayor Caesar Perez were transferred from his residence to the municipal hall in Los Baños, Laguna on Tuesday (Dec. 8, 2020). (PNA photo by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno)

The remains were brought almost throughout the entire municipality, traversing basically all its 14 barangays.

Perez's remains finally reached the municipal hall around 2:15 p.m. at the exact area where two unidentified men gunned him down on Dec. 3.

The public viewing began just as the coffin was set up at the municipal hall's open area.

The remains will stay at the municipal building until his interment on Saturday, according to the youngest son, Aldous. (PNA)


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