3 CIDG Region 8 officials face internal affairs probe over Espinosa death

Three officials of the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 faced the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) Thursday over the death of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa.

CIDG Region 8 chief Supt. Marvin Marcos, Supt. Santi Noel Matira and Chief Insp. Leo Laraga presented themselves before IAS deputy inspector general Chief Supt. Leo Angelo Leuterio.

Matira was the supervisor of the raiding team that entered Espinosa's cell in Baybay City Provincial Jail on November 5. Laraga was the team leader and the officer who shot Espinosa.

The IAS earlier gave the police officials and officers five days to submit their affidavit.

The three, together with 15 other members of CIDG Region 8 involved in the death of the Albuera mayor, were placed under restrictive custody effective November 24, upon the order of PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

They will be held by the Headquarters Support Service until the final resolution of the case filed against them. The head of HSS was tasked to monitor their activities and whereabouts and ensure that they are readily available to face any inquiry.

The CIDG 8 officers were earlier relieved of their posts and assigned to the Personnel and Accounting Unit in Camp Crame.

Leuterio said they cannot fast-track the dismissal of the subject personnel because they want to build a strong case and avoid any technicalities.

"We don't want that at the end of the day, when we come up with the decision, it will be dismissed on a technicality because we did not follow procedural due process," he said.

He added that the officers concerned should be given the opportunity to explain their side.

"We are talking about the lives of the policemen here. I think they deserve due process. It must be impartial, objective. We are not crying for blood here. We are administering justice, hindi naman ito yung parang revenge justice," he said.

Leuterio said that after the hearings, the IAS will submit its recommendation to PNP chief Dela Rosa.

"He is the chief PNP, the law gives him the authority as disciplinary authority ng PNP," he said.

While an administrative case usually takes 90 days to be resolved, Leuterio said that in this case they can submit their recommendations in a month as long as they have completed gathering evidence and witnesses.

Leuterio said the IAS will also be asking the Senate for the minutes of the hearing last Wednesday to get the names of police personnel mentioned by Espinosa's son, suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa. — BM, GMA News