Three separate probes into mayor’s death

CEBU, Philippines - At least three government investigating bodies are separately looking into the killing of Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and alleged drug lord Raul Yap inside the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City last Saturday.

Police Regional Office-8 through the Regional Internal Affairs Service, Commission on Human Rights, and the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday started their investigation.

Senior Superintendent Victor Ongkiko is leading the five-man team from RIAS-8 in the conduct of the investigation.

Ongkiko explained that RIAS can conduct a motu propio investigation under the Republic Act 8551 or the Philippine National Police law. 

Ongkiko visited the office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-8 in Tacloban City yesterday morning to start questioning the 12 operatives involved in the service of the search warrant against Espinosa and Yap that allegedly resulted in the shootout that killed both of them.

He said he will go back to the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail and ask the jail personnel on duty during the operation what happened.

"Our job is preliminary investigation and fact finding and whatever is the result of the investigation, we will forward it to Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, our acting police regional director, who has the final say on the resolution. Our fact finding is with regards to the administrative aspects involving our policemen," Ongkiko said.

He is also scheduled to visit the wake of Espinosa at his residence in Barangay Binulho, Albuera to talk to the family of the mayor.

NBI investigators from Manila also arrived yesterday to start its own investigation. CHR probers are also expected to be in town today.

CIDG-8 director Superintendent Marvin Marcos said all operatives involved have been placed under camp restriction to face the investigation. The team was led by Chief Inspector Leo Larraga.

Marcos promised that they are cooperating in the investigation. He also insisted that it was a legitimate operation. The CIDG-8 operatives were serving the search warrant for illegal possession of firearm issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 40 Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. against Espinosa and Yap.

Marcos is hoping that President Rodrigo Duterte and the CIDG national headquarters will support them in this controversy. Despite the investigation that they are now facing, the leader of the raiding team said he did not regret killing Espinosa and Yap because he could have been the one being killed.

The CIDG-8 is accusing the members of the media of magnifying the issue. — /FPL (FREEMAN)