Cop, 2 brothers indicted in Antique lawyer’s killing

ILOILO CITY—The Antique Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has indicted a policemen and two of his brothers in the Aug. 31 killing of lawyer John Mark Espera.

The prosecutor’s office, in a resolution dated Dec. 9, found probable cause to charge PO3 Jose Suarez for the murder of Espera. Also indicted were his brothers, Raymond and Virgilo Suarez.

The resolution penned by Marilou Garachico-Fabila, associate prosecution lawyer, dismissed the complaint against a fourth sibling, Rico Suarez, for lack of evidence.

Espera, 39, died of multiple bullet wounds on Aug. 31 in Barangay (village) Pu-ao, Hamtic town, about 12 kilometers from San Jose town.

PO3 Suarez, who was assigned to the Tobias Fornier police office, surrendered a few hours after the shooting. He is now detained at the Antique Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in San Jose while his two brothers are at large.

Police investigation showed that Espera and Virgilio engaged in a fistfight before the lawyer was gunned down by the policeman and his brothers.

In his counteraffidavit, PO3 Suarez said he shot Espera in defense of his brother Virgilio who was grappling with the lawyer for the latter’s firearm.