The ties that bind in the Espinosa killing

Chesney Espinosa cries over the body of her father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ROBERT DEJON)

Following is a chronology of key events leading up to the killing of former Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinos Sr. and after.

Oct. 17. Alleged big-time drug lord Kerwin Espinosa is arrested in Abu Dhabi.

Shortly after the arrest, PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa relieves Supt. Marvin Marcos as director of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) after he is named by Espinosa as among the police officials involved in drug operations in the region.

Marcos is transferred to CIDG Region 9 but a “high official” intervenes and orders the recall of Marcos. Dela Rosa agrees to Marcos’ return to CIDG-8 as he is about to be investigated by the internal affairs division anyway.

Nov. 5. Espinosa’s father, detained Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, is killed in what CIDG claims as a shootout. Under Marcos’ leadership, CIDG-8 conducts predawn operation at the Leyte subprovincial jail in Baybay City to serve a search warrant on the elder Espinosa, whom they suspected to be keeping a gun and “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) inside his cell.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson brands the shooting death of Espinosa a “clear case of EJK (extrajudicial killing)” as he calls for the resumption of a Senate probe into drug-related deaths.

Nov. 7. On orders from CIDG headquarters in Quezon City, Marcos, chief of CIDG-8, is relieved.

Nov. 10. Dela Rosa orders the administrative relief of policemen involved in the death of the older Espinosa, including Marcos.

The relieved personnel are reassigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit at Camp Crame so they could attend

the investigation being conducted by Internal Affairs Service (IAS) and other government agencies such as the National Police Commission and the National Bureau of Investigation.

President Duterte says he saw nothing puzzling in the killing of Espinosa. “I will not go there to find fault with the police,” Mr. Duterte says. “I do not even agree that they should be transferred, at least not now, because if you do that, the policemen will not do their work anymore.”

Nov. 23. In a testimony before the Senate, the younger Espinosa says that Marcos, director of the CIDG in Eastern Visayas, was on his

payroll, receiving P3 million to fund the election campaign of his wife in May. Marcos denies this.

Nov. 28. Dela Rosa says that a Malacañang kumpare—a sponsor in a wedding, baptism or confirmation—had requested him to reinstate Marcos the first time he was relieved. He declines to name the man, but says he was not the President who he said was his godfather.

Nov. 29. Dela Rosa says “someone higher” ordered him to reinstate Marcos. He declines to identify the high official and says he would divulge to lawmakers in an executive session.

Dec. 1. Sen. Leila de Lima says Christopher “Bong” Go, President Duterte’s special assistant, interceded for the reinstatement of Marcos. Go denies the claim.

Dec. 2. Dela Rosa denies Go was the intercessor.

PNP IAS temporarily lifts the restrictive custody order against Marcos and others involved in Espinosa’s killing. They are not reinstated but allowed to leave Camp Crame and prepare their documents in filing their counteraffidavits.

On Friday night, President Duterte admits that it was he who ordered Dela Rosa to reinstate Marcos. —Inquirer Research

Source: Inquirer Archives