Lacson bothered by ‘overconfidence’ of cops in Espinosa slay
Senator Panfilo Lacson (right) said that the behavior of (from left) Supt. Marvic Marcos and Chief Insp. Leo Laraga during the Senate hearing on the death of Mayor Rolando Espinosa was ‘bothersome.’ NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER FILE
Senator Panfilo Lacson is bothered by the behavior and “overconfidence” of policemen involved in the killing of Albuera, Leyte, Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
Lacson noted how members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Eastern Samar acted with “impunity” in relation to the killing of Espinosa.
“Parang sobra na ang hubris. Parang sobra na ang paging blatant. They did it with impunity,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.
“It started with a bad motive, bad intention, followed by a bad plan, then bad execution, bad coordination, then bad explanation when we conducted a hearing. Everything is bad,” he noted.
“Parang sobra na ang hubris. Parang sobra na ang paging blatant. They did it with impunity,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.
Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, cited the demeanor of Supt. Marvin Marcos and of Chief Inspector Leo Laraga, who shot and killed the mayor during a predawn raid at a jail in Leyte last Nov. 5.
Marcos and Laraga have appeared before Lacson’s committee which is investigating the death of Espinosa.
“I was watching the demeanor of Supt. Marcos, Chief Inspector Laraga and the two others … and I could see from their demeanor, masyadong confident,” the senator noted.
“Parang they were already anticipating that the President would back them up. And that’s a bad sign,” Lacson said. “Considering the blatant execution tapos ganun yung actuation – it’s bothersome,” he said.
“It started with a bad motive, bad intention, followed by a bad plan, then bad execution, bad coordination, then bad explanation when we conducted a hearing. Everything is bad,” he noted.
And even the police officials present during the hearing were also worried by their colleagues’ demeanor, he said.
Lacson said he reminded the police officials that they had a choice between the institution and protecting people.
“If you continue to protect these people, even if there’s a guidance from the President to see to it the police operatives are not demoralized, kasi yan ang narinig kong statement, every time may ganoong pangyayari sabi ni President I should also go to jail because utos ko yan,” Lacson said.
“But remember pag sinabi mong ‘utos ko yan,’ he’s talking in general terms. Go all out against drugs,” he said.
“It is a win-some-lose-some situation. Evaluate natin: are we winning more and losing less, or are we losing more and winning less? In this case if we cover up for the police leadership, we cover up for Supt. Marcos et al we will lose more than winning,” he said.
“Most of the inmates, if not all whose affidavits were taken, nagko-corroborate na talagang walang firefight na nangyari,” Lacson said.
Lacson reiterated that Espinosa’s killing was premeditated.
Contrary to the raiding team’s claim, the senator said most of the inmates, who executed their affidavits, had corroborated that there was no firefight inside the jail that supposedly led to the killing of the mayor.
He said the Public Attorney’s Office had submitted to the committee 27 affidavits from inmates and jail guards regarding the incident.
“Most of the inmates, if not all, whose affidavits were taken, nagko-corroborate na talagang walang firefight na nangyari,” Lacson said.
The senator expressed belief that the other inmate, Raul Yap, who was also killed during the raid, was just a “collateral damage.” CBB/rga
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