DOJ chief orders parallel probe into Espinosa’s killing

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Sunday said he has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a parallel investigation into the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. inside his cell at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City.

"Kahapon in-order ko through my undersecretary na gumawa ng parallel investigation ang NBI para maiwasan ang whitewash," Aguirre told radio dzBB in an interview.

He said several circumstances which led to the death of Espinosa should be investigated.

"Masyadong suspicious [ang] circumstances. Kailangan malamang kung ano talaga ang totoo," he added.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa told GMA News in an interview that he has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group based in Camp Crame, the Police Regional Office 8 and the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to conduct independent investigations.

PNP-IAS Deputy Inspector General Leo Angelo Leuterio said he has ordered the Regional Internal Affairs Service 8 to conduct the probe, which will focus on the possible administrative liability of the CIDG Regional 8 operatives involved in the operation.

CIDG Regional 8 operatives led by Chief Inspector Leo Laraga killed Espinosa and drug suspect Raul Yap inside their jail cells while serving search warrants.

Laraga had claimed that they killed Espinosa and Yap in self defense.

Jail warden relieved

In a separate radio dzBB interview, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno said he has ordered the relief of the sub-provincial jail's warden, Antonio Ubaldo.

Sueno said Ubaldo was relieved pending the results of the investigation being conducted by the police.

He said he wanted the police to determine why the search warrants were served during the wee hours and why the CIDG Region 8 was given the search warrants in the first place.

Laraga told GMA News in an interview on Saturday that the search warrants on Espinosa and Yap were served around 4 a.m. to avoid being "detected" by the subjects.

He, however, said the jailguards on duty refused to honor the search warrants and attempted to prevent them from conducting the search.

Laraga said they were forced to disarm the jailguards and use bolt-cutters to break into the sub-provincial jail.

He said the search warrants were based on information that Espinosa and Yap were in possession of firearms and drugs inside the jail.

Sueno assured in the interview that the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the PNP will pursue the investigations until the truth comes out.

"We assure the public na hindi namin pababayaan yong kaso," he said.

The interior secretary also said they are also determining why Espinosa and Yap and guns and shabu in their cells.

Meanwhile, Sueno welcomed Aguirre's move to order a parallel investigation.

He said this would make sure that the investigations into Espinosa's death "will not be tainted." —ALG, GMA News