Suspect charged in Batangas fiscal slay; ex-mayor, hubby for further probe

Murder charges have been filed against a suspect in the killing of a Batangas prosecutor last week, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.

Jayson Guerrero Espejo was charged before a Batangas court for the killing of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Alexander Sandoval.

"The resolution [of the inquest proceedings last Saturday] is now with our docket. Espejo was charged with murder before the Regional Trial Court Batangas," said Prosecutor General Claro Arellano.

The DoJ also recommended that former Sta. Teresita, Batangas Mayor Ana Marie Mendoza and her husband, Kalayaan barangay chairman Hermogenes Mendoza, be further investigated regarding the murder.

Sandoval was on his way to a court hearing on June 13 when he was shot nine times by a suspect on a motorcycle. The incident happened along the national highway in Barangay Muzon in San Luis town, near the boundary of Sta. Teresita.

A follow-up operation led authorities to recover the motorcycle as well as a white Toyota Corolla (TDD 852) used as a "back-up car."

Police later traced the car to Mrs. Mendoza. The motorcycle, meanwhile, was registered to one Richard Briones of Barangay Kalayaan in Sta. Teresita.

According to Senior Inspector Joel Laraya, Espejo has confessed to the crime and "implicated Barangay Chairman Hermogenes Mendoza, one aka 'TOKS,' and two John Does."

He added, "The Mendoza couple, a certain Richard Briones and alias 'Toks' [were recommended] for further investigation for murder."

Arellano clarified that the former mayor was earlier arrested for illegal possession of firearms and not for murder. "However, she is still under detention and cannot be released because she executed a waiver of Art 125 of the Revised Penal Code for the illegal possession."

He said the other respondents in the case remain at large. The Mendoza couple and the other suspects would be subjected under preliminary investigation at the DOJ main office in Manila on June 21 at 10 a.m.

Last Friday, police authorities—through a warrant issued by Judge Juanita Areta of the Taal Regional Trial Court Branch 86—searched the residences of the Mendoza couple in barangays Kalayaan and Bihis.

Seized from their houses were an 1 M-16 rifle, a 9mm Jericho pistol, a cal-30 carbine, a cal-45 Colt pistol, a cal-22 Llama pistol, and a cal-45 Mark IV pistol. — VC/BM, GMA News