Espino ambush: Ex-Pangasinan board member tagged as brains

MANILA, Philippines — Former Pangasinan board member Raul Sison, who died of COVID-19 in March last year, is the mastermind in the ambush of former governor Amado Espino Jr. in 2019, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas said yesterday.

Sinas said Benjie Resultan, who admitted that he participated in the ambush as a lookout, executed  an extrajudicial confession tagging Sison as the brains.

The Pangasinan police had earlier confirmed that Sison was involved in the incident.

“With these recent developments in this high-profile case, we are exerting all efforts to account for all the accused,” Sinas said in a statement.

The PNP chief did not give details on the possible motive for the gun attack.

Resultan identified Amando Frias, Alberto Palisoc, Armando Frias, Joey Ferrer, Alfred Pascaran, Ronnie delos Santos, Gerry Pascua, Sherwin Diaz, Teofilo Ferrer, Jewel Castro, John Paul Regalado, a certain Russeler and 10 John Does as the other suspects.

Frias and Palisoc were arrested in San Juan, Batangas on Feb. 7. The other suspects remain at large.

The San  Carlos City regional trial court has issued arrest warrants.

Espino was wounded while his aide S/Sgt. Richard Esguerra and his driver Agapito Cuison were killed when the former governor’s convoy was attacked in Barangay Magtaking in  San Carlos City.