Even if it was aware that Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was an important witness, the police admitted on Thursday that they did not seek to place him under custody.
At the Senate inquiry on the Nov. 5 killing of Espinosa, Philippine National Police Eastern Visayas director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar said that the police should have provided him more protection after what had happened.
READ: Senate opens probe on Espinosa slay
“In this instant case, we learned that since the subject is sensational, we would have given him protection…It’s just unfortunate that he died in a legitimate police operation,” Beltejar said.
Beltejar made the statement after Sen. Richard Gordon slammed the police for failing to secure Espinosa who he noted had executed an affidavit naming big-time personalities he had allegedly paid off to protect his illegal drug business.
Espinosa and another inmate were killed inside the Baybay sub-provincial jail last Nov. 5 after allegedly firing at members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who went there to serve search warrants on suspicion they have firearms and drugs in their cells.
READ: Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa killed in ‘firefight’ inside jail
Gordon, who as head of the justice and human rights committee co-chaired the inquiry, asked why the police did not place Espinosa in a more secured site such as the National Bureau of Investigation office or a police camp.
But Beltejar said that they were just following a court order but Gordon pointed out that Beltjar was a “seasoned” police officer who “knew the danger of this prisoner.”
Beltejar said that he had asked his provincial director to make a threat assessment of the area and there was no threat. He also said that he ordered the jail to be augmented with public safety officers. He added that the jail was small and near the city.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who led the Senate inquiry, asked whether the police had sought custody of Espinosa. Beltejar answered in the negative.
Gordon said the police should have been more diligent in the case. RAM/rga