Mayor Espinosa running drugs operation in Leyte jail —CIDG official

Albuera, Mayor Rolando Espinosa was allegedly running a drugs operation inside the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City, a regional police official said Monday.

Superintendent Marvin Marcos, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 8, told radio dzBB in an interview that this piece of information prompted his team in Northern Leyte to apply for a search warrant on Espinosa and another inmate, Raul Yap.

"Si Major Laraga nakatanggap ng independent o volunteer informant na pumunta sa opisina niya, nagbigay ng impormasyon pertaining sa isang drug transaction sa loob ng provincial jail sa Baybay. Ang informant na iyon ay bumisita sa provincial jail at may katransaksyon siya doon at iyon ay si Raul Yap," Marcos said.

He said that according to the informant, Yap was operating as an underling of Espinosa.

"Noong medyo naayos na ang transaksyon nila ay pinapunta sa isang selda at humingi ng approval sa isang bossing. Hindi niya alam kung sino ang nasa selda na iyon at nalaman niya na si Mayor Espinosa ang nandoon," Marcos said.

The police official said that based on the informant's claim, he saw Espinosa's firearm during the meeting, which was initially described as a .45 pistol.

Marcos said that according to Laraga, the informant feared for his life when he learned that he was transacting with Espinosa.

Marcos said that the informant felt threatened maybe because of Espinosa's reputation. He cited allegations that Espinosa ordered the killing of several people in Leyte.

"In plain view nakita ang baril, sabi .45 pistol. Ang impormante natin natakot dahil may alam siya sa kapasidad ni Mayor Espinosa," he said.

Aside from Yap, Marcos said that they have information that some jail guards at the sub-provincial jail are working for Espinosa.

He said Albuera Police Station head Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido has the same information.

Espenido had questioned the operation of the CIDG Region 8, which resulted in the killing of Espinosa and Yap.

Marcos said Espinosa fired at the CIDG team led by Laraga during the search. He added that it was Laraga who fired at the mayor during the supposed encounter.

He said a separate CIDG team killed Yap, who also allegedly fired at the policemen first.

Police forensic officers who processed the crime scene recovered a .38 Super Pistol inside Espinosa's jail cell. The pistol is similar to a .45 pistol.

A .45 pistol and sachets of shabu, meanwhile, were recovered from Yap's jail cell.

Laraga's team was serving separate search warrants on Espinosa for illegal possession of firearm and on Yap for possession of illegal drugs.

Marcos insisted during the interview that the operation of Laraga's team was legitimate, and they had no intention of killing Espinosa and Yap.

"With respect po sa senador natin at former chief, PNP (Philippine National Police), ang operation ng CIDG ay isang legitimate operation. Hindi po ito operation na tsamba na nagkabarilan sa kalsada. Hindi po ito maituturing na isang EJK (extrajudicial killing)," he said.

Marcos added that implementation of the search warrant was well coordinate and it was even reported prior to the operation up to Camp Crame.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson suspected that Espinosa was intentionally killed. He said he will ask the Senate to investigate the mayor's killing.

There are speculations that Espinosa was silenced because of his earlier testimony to Espenido against certain personalities allegedly involved in drugs, including lawmakers and ranking police officials.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has ordered the CIDG based in Camp Crame, the Police  Regional Office 8 and the Internal Affairs Service to conduct independent investigations into the supposed encounter in the provincial jail.

The National Bureau of Investigation and the Commission on Human Rights are also conducting separate investigations. —ALG, GMA News