DOJ probes Espinosa killing; CIDG men face raps

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday started its preliminary investigation on criminal complaints against the policemen involved in the killing of Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa and fellow inmate Raul Yap last month.

The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) team led by Supt. Marvin Marcos that killed Espinosa inside the Baybay City sub-provincial jail in Leyte appeared before a panel of prosecutors to get copies of the complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The DOJ panel chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Lilian Doris Alejo gave the policemen until Jan. 23 next year to submit their respective answers to the charges of two counts of multiple murder, robbery, malicious procurement of search warrant, perjury and planting of evidence over the killings of Espinosa and Yap.

Of the 25 respondents, only two were not able to attend the hearing yesterday – PO2 Niel Centino and Paul Olendan, the witness used by the police to obtain the search warrants against Espinosa and Yap.

There were also 14 respondents who did not have lawyers with them and were told to hire legal help for the next hearing.

The prosecutors also directed the witnesses of the NBI to subscribe to their affidavits at the same hearing.

Journalists were initially prevented by police escorts of the CIDG team from covering the hearing, but Alejo admonished the policemen and allowed the media to cover the proceedings.

“We remind members of the PNP that this is the DOJ and not the PNP. Please take orders from authorities of the DOJ,” Alejo said during the hearing.

The NBI filed the complaint with the DOJ last Dec. 2.

Citing testimonial and forensic evidence, the NBI said Espinosa and Yap were killed in a rubout, not a shootout as claimed by the policemen who conducted the raid.

President Duterte recently vowed he would not allow the CIDG policemen to go to prison and promised to defend them for Espinosa’s killing.

DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, however, said such pronouncements from Duterte would not affect the preliminary investigation on the Espinosa and Yap killings.