(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Espinosa fears of ‘whitewash’
TACLOBAN CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO)-8 has assured the public of a transparent and impartial investigation into the recent shooting of Albuera mayoral candidate Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa.
This assurance comes following Espinosa’s statements during a press conference on Friday, April 11, shortly after he was discharged from the hospital.
Espinosa expressed concerns over how authorities are handling the investigation, particularly regarding police officers identified as persons of interest.
Espinosa,47, questioned why the police personnel, who were apprehended during a hot pursuit operation shortly after the April 10 shooting, were not taken to the Albuera police station. Instead, they were brought to Ormoc City and subsequently transferred to the PRO-8 regional headquarters.
“To my knowledge, the incident happened within Albuera’s jurisdiction. So I expected that the police officers would be brought to the Albuera police station. That’s why I can’t help but worry there might be a whitewash in this case,” Espinosa said.
In response, PRO-8 released a statement on Saturday affirming its commitment to due process and accountability.
“We assure the public that PRO-8 does not, and will never, condone abuse of authority,” the statement read. “Personnel found to have violated their oath of service or the law will be held accountable through swift and appropriate action, in accordance with established administrative and criminal procedures.”
The regional police office also said it is closely coordinating with oversight agencies to ensure a fair and fact-based investigation.
For his part, Leyte Police Provincial Director Col. Dionisio Apas Jr. said the seven officers, one of whom is a former city police director of Ormoc, are now in their custody and have been subjected to questioning.
“Rest assured there will be no whitewash, and no one will be treated as a sacred cow,” Apas said in a media interview on Saturday. “We’ve received clear instructions from higher-ups to ensure the case we file is solid and well-prepared.”
When asked who he referred to as “higher-ups,” Apas named PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil and Police Regional Director B/Gen. Jay Cumigad.
Apas emphasized that the investigation would be thorough to ensure any charges filed would be airtight. “We will conduct an impartial investigation,” he added.
According to Apas, the seven policemen were not “technically” at the crime scene, and no direct evidence currently links them to the shooting.
“They were not at the crime scene, and we still do not have direct evidence or testimony pointing to who among them is involved in the crime,” he said.
Initial investigations revealed that the seven were reportedly in the area to serve a warrant, but they failed to coordinate with the local Albuera police.
The warrant, Apas clarified, was not intended for Espinosa. He said the group was located about 400 meters from where Espinosa and his team were holding a campaign event.
All seven underwent paraffin testing to determine if any had recently discharged a firearm. Their issued and personal firearms were also submitted to the crime laboratory for ballistic examination and verification.
Results of the tests are expected within this week.
When asked about possible charges, Apas said they may include frustrated murder and violations of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
The seven officers are currently under administrative and restrictive custody at the Leyte Police Provincial Office in San Jose, Tacloban City.
ROEL T. AMAZONA, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA
