Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated on Tuesday his support for police linked to the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa in jail.
“Because I am the President, at ang pulis ko ay under ko, doon ako maniwala,” he said during a speech before Filipinos in Cambodia.
[Translation: Because I am the President and the police are under me, I will believe them.]
Espinosa is the father of suspected Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa. Police arrested the mayor last October, two months after authorities seized 11 kilograms of shabu — worth P88 million — and ingredients used for making bombs in a raid on his house.
Police shot and killed Espinosa on November 5 when they served a search warrant on his jail cell. Former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 (CIDG-8) head, Police Superintendent Marvin Marcos — who held office at that time — said Espinosa refused to have his jail cell searched and fired at the policemen using a gun that he somehow managed to sneak into his cell. Marcos said he and his men fired back in self-defense, killing Espinosa.
However, a probe by the National Bureau of Investigation showed that Espinosa’s killing was a rub out — not a shootout. “We mantain it was a rubout. There was a criminal intent. Pumunta talaga doon para patayin si Espinosa [They really went there to kill Espinosa],” NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said on December 6.
However, Duterte said in Cambodia that he will still believe the police unless a case has been filed and suspects have been convicted. “Sabi ng NBI ngayon, murder. Sabi ko unless there is a case filed and convicted, I will still believe the police – and the military for that matter.” [Now, the NBI said it’s murder. I said, unless there is a case filed and (suspects) convicted, I will still believe the police – and the military for that matter.]
Duterte’s statements echo those he made a week before, when he said he will not allow the police who killed Espinosa to got to prison.
“I will not allow these guys to go to prison maski na sabihin ng NBI na murder. Tutal,under ko man ang NBI. Under ko rin iyan e, Department of Justice. But I have to tell you I do not interfere,” the President said.
[Translation: I will not allow these guys to go to prison even if the NBI says it was murder. Besides, the NBI is under me. The Department of Justice is under me as well. But I have to tell you I do not interfere.]
He also clarified that he will not interfere with the investigation.
CNN Philippines’ Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
