Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre II. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/EDWIN BACASMAS
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday said he will attend if invited to appear at the Senate probe on the downgrading of the murder charges against the policemen involved in the killing of former Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
Last June 8, 2017, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released to the public a resolution dated May 29, 2017 downgrading from murder to homicide the case against police Superintendent Marvin Marcos and 10 of his men- S/Insp Deogracia Pedong Diaz III, C/Insp. Calixto Canillas Jr., Insp. Lucresito Candelosas, SPO2s Benjamin Dacallos and Antonio Docil, SPO1 Mark Christian Cadilo, PO3 Norman Abellanosa, PO2s John Ruel Doculan and Jaime Bacsal, and PO1 Jerlan Cabiyaan for the death of Espinosa and fellow inmate Raul Yap inside their detention cells at the Baybay City sub-provincial jail.
Four other police officers were charged for the killing of Espinosa – Supt. Santi Noel Matira, C/Insp.Leo Daio Laraga, SPO4 Melvin Caboyit and PO3 Johnny Abuda Ibanez – while four others for the murder of Yap – S/Insp. Fritz Bioco Blanco, SPO4 Juanito Duarte, PO2 Lloyd Ortiguesa and PO1 Bernard Orpilla. The cases against them were also downgraded to homicide.
The DOJ resolution said there was not enough evidence to show the existence of qualifying circumstances to justify that the crime committed was murder.
READ: Case vs cops in Espinosa slay downgraded to homicide
“I did not have any hand in the drafting of the resolution being referred to by some Senators. I was not the one who resolved the matter. I was not the one who wrote it. I was not the one who signed it,” Aguirre said in a statement Wednesday.
READ: More senators up in arms over downgrade of raps vs Espinosa killers
He said his presence, if summoned by the Senate will be “out of respect for a co-equal branch of government and of a distinguished and a hallowed institution.” IDL