7 cops in Kerwin slay attempt face gun raps

ALBUERA, Leyte, Philippines — The Leyte police has filed charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as well as violation of the nationwide gun ban against the chief of the Ormoc City police and his six men who were tagged as persons of interest in an attempt to kill Kerwin Espinosa.

Leyte police director Col. Dionisio Apas Jr. told The STAR yesterday the provincial police’s legal department is still gathering evidence for the possible filing of frustrated murder charges against the officers.

“As of now there is no direct evidence linking the officers to the shooting of Espinosa in Barangay Tinag-an in Albuera. Ormoc police chief Col. Reydante Ariza and his men were seen some 100 meters from the scene of the shooting,” Apas said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said results of paraffin tests conducted on Ariza and his men showed the officers negative for gunpowder burns.

PNP public information officer Col. Randulf Tuano, however, said the result is not conclusive, citing factors that can produce negative results like the gunman wearing gloves or a long-sleeved shirt to cover his hands.

He said another factor is that the gunman may have washed his hands with chemicals.

Results of ballistic examinations conducted on the firearms recovered from Ariza’s group have yet to be released, Tuano said.

Probers have identified the owner of the compound where Ariza and his companions were caught during a follow-up operation.

Tuano declined to identify the owner of the property, whom he described as a friend of a known lawmaker.

Initial investigation indicated that Ariza and his men went to Albuera to supposedly arrest a person.

It was found out later that their headquarters did not coordinate the serving of the warrant with the municipal police.

Espinosa, who is running for mayor of Albuera in the May 12 elections, was campaigning when he was shot last Thursday.