PNP HQ sends three-man team to Leyte to probe Espinosa’s killing

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has sent three members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) based in Camp Crame to Leyte province investigate the alleged shootout inside a detention facility that killed Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa.

PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said CIDG director Chief Superintendent Roel Ubusan formed an investigating team "to assist" the CIDG Region 8 in its probe.

The team is composed of Senior Superintendent Ramon Rafael, lawyer Virgilio Pablico of the CIDG legal division, and Senior Police Officer 1 Rudy Gahar.

The three CIDG men took a 5:35 a.m. flight bound for the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City on Sunday.

Operatives of the CIDG-Region 8 killed Espinosa and drug suspect Raul Yap inside their jail cells in the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City on Saturday.

The CIDG team's leader, Chier Inspector Leo Laraga, claimed they fired at Espinosa and Yap in self defense.

The CIDG operatives were serving search warrants on Espinosa for violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. Espinosa had been arrested for drug-related charges.

The CIDG was also going to serve a search warrant on Raul Yap for charges related to violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

The search warrants were issued by Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 30 in Basey, Samar.

The PNP-Internal Affairs Service has also ordered its unit in Region 8 to conduct an investigation to determine the possible administrative liability of the CIDG operatives involved in the operation.

The Commission on Human Rights and the National Bureau of Investigation will conduct independent investigations into the mayor's killing. —ALG, GMA News