Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales —INQUIRER PHOTO
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Friday said she had called for a motu proprio investigation into the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. while in detention.
Morales confirmed this in an interview with reporters in Cebu, where she gave a speech during the event “Strengthening regional cooperation to mitigate corruption risks in wild life and forest crimes.”
She said she created a panel to conduct an in-depth investigation into the deaths of the Leyte town mayor and another drug detainee, Raul Yap, by agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City.
A panel of investigators from the Ombudsman Military and Other Law Enforcement Office (Moleo) was designated to conduct the probe.
The Ombudsman launched its own probe after the Senate investigated the incident and called the killing a “premeditated” act by the police.
READ: Senators grill cops on ‘premeditated’ killing of Espinosa
On Nov. 5, Mayor Espinosa was slain by a raiding team of the CIDG Region VIII in what the police claimed to be a shoot-out, even though Espinosa and Yap were in detention at the sub-provincial jail.
The CIDG barged into the jail to serve a search warrant over suspicions the two were holding “shabu” and firearms inside the cells.
It alleged that Espinosa shot the police, prompting the policemen to fire back, fatally hitting the mayor in the head, chest and stomach.
READ: Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa killed in ‘firefight’ inside jail
The raiding team recovered a .38-cal. pistol and a pack of shabu from the cell of Espinosa, and a .45-cal., 27 packs of marijuana and 21 sachets of shabu from Yap.
The CIDG also took the hard drive that contained a CCTV video of the incident.
The PNP is also set to investigate the incident, which former police chief Sen. Panfilo Lacson believes is a clear case of extrajudicial killing.
READ: Espinosa slay clear case of extra-judicial killing–Lacson
Espinosa was slain as he was expected to name more personalities involved in the illegal drug trade of his son Kerwin, said to be the biggest in Eastern Visayas region. Kerwin was arrested in Abu Dhabi after fleeing the charges.
The mayor surrendered to authorities after he was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as among local chief executives allegedly involved in the drug trade.
READ: Leyte mayor’s tearful plea to son: Let’s surrender
Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House of Representatives have called for a congressional probe into the incident.
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