P1-million reward eyed for arrest of Amado Espino Jr. ambush suspects

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines — The provincial board is planning to give a reward of P1 million for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators of last week’s ambush that left former Pangasinan governor Amado Espino Jr. wounded and his police escort and driver dead. 

Board member Von Mark Mendoza said they would ask concerned departments of the provincial government about the legality of the move and the availability of funds.

The reward was proposed by board member Noel Bince.

At yesterday’s session, Vice Gov. Mark Ronald Lambino sponsored a resolution condemning the ambush and urging the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to fasttrack their investigation.

“The incident is a deplorable act and the perpetrators should be brought to justice,” Lambino said. 

S/Sgt. Richard Esguerra and Agapito Cuison, Espino’s security aide and driver, respectively, were killed in the ambush. 

Espino’s two other companions were wounded. 

The provincial board passed a resolution expressing its condolences to the families of Esguerra and Cuison. 

Meanwhile, board member Rosary Gracia Perez-Tababa said the provincial board would ask Sen. Richard Gordon to remove and retract his social media posts that five of Espino’s bodyguards died and that the former governor was in a critical condition following the ambush. 

Tababa said Gordon’s “premature and inacurrate reporting” caused panic among Pangasinenses.