DOJ recommends filing of cases vs Espenido, 3 others over bloody Ozamiz raid

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the filing of six counts of homicide charges against Ozamiz City Police Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido and three others over the deadly operation in the city in June 2017 that ended in the death of six people.

The DOJ’s recommendation stemmed from the complaint of Carmelita Manzano who sought murder and arbitrary detention charges against Espenido, Chief Insp. Glyndo Pujanes, SPO4 Renato Martir Jr., PO1 Sandra Nagdayag, and several unidentified others.

The department, meanwhile, recommended the dismissal of the murder and arbitrary detention complaints lodged against Espenido, Nadayag, and Pujanes for lack of probable cause.

Assistant State Prosecutor Loverhette Jeffrey Villordon penned the resolution dated July 30, 2018 and was approved by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon. The copy was only shared to media on Thursday.

According to Manzano, they were celebrating the birthday of her brother-in-law inside their house when three policemen aboard a black vehicle barged in and “immediately started shooting.”

Manzano said the police officers moved her and three of her grandchildren to a house just across their residence. From the house across, Manzano said she “heard continuous shots coming from the outside.”

She added that she later learned that six people, including five of her relatives, were killed in the said incident.

Espenido and the other accused admitted that they killed the six whom they hunted down for alleged links to recent robberies and killings. They however insisted that they only shot the victims in self-defense during what they called a legitimate operation.  /muf