Negros Occ town mayor hits CIDG-Bacolod for alleged try to involve him in murder case

Map of Negros Occidental | INQIRER.net

BACOLOD CITY — Hinigaran Mayor Nadie Arceo slammed what he called a politically motivated attempt by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Bacolod City to implicate him in a murder case he had no involvement in.

Arceo, at a press conference on Sunday, March 20, alleged that Police Brig. Gen. Randy Peralta, who was a ranking CIDG official, wielded influence over the investigation group.

Peralta is the husband of Mitchelle Cordova Peralta who is running for mayor of Hinigaran in the May 9 elections.

The CIDG Bacolod Field Unit filed a complaint at the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on February 17 against Arceo’s bodyguard Leroy Espinosa and his brother Leonardo Espinosa for the crime of murder and frustrated murder.

This was in connection with the death of Mark Christian Salazar and the wounding of Liza Salazar-Celiz in Pantalan Daan, Barangay 1, Hinigaran town on December 18, 2021.

The CIDG attached a supplementary affidavit of Olivia Salazar dated January 4 implicating the Espinosas and linking Arceo to the crime.

Arceo said the police had earlier filed cases of homicide and attempted homicide against Leroy Espinosa that are now pending before the Himamaylan City Regional Trial Court.

In those cases, Arceo said he was not linked to the killing and that an affidavit signed by Olivia Salazar showed that he was not involved in the crime.

Arceo’s lawyer Victorino Torrecampo Jr. questioned why subpoenas were not sent to the Espinosas along with copies of the CIDG’s complaints furnished them so that they would have an opportunity to submit their counter-affidavits.

They suspect that someone at the prosecutor’s office removed the subpoenas from the copies of the complaints served to the Espinosas on purpose and they want the matter investigated, Torrecampo said.

Lawyers Rey Gorgonio and Guillermo Tejida III said the filing of a second complaint for the same crime by the CIDG constitutes double jeopardy.

Arceo said Leroy Espinosa acted in self-defense when Mark Christina Salazar was killed, and that their fight was triggered by a family feud.

He said the attempt to implicate him is a political ploy to disrupt his bid for reelection as mayor.

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