Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Senator Richard Gordon says the operation that led to the killing of Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa might prevent other witnesses in the drug trade from coming forward.
Albuera was killed on November 5 in an alleged shootout with members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 8.
Read: Albuera Mayor Espinosa, 1 other inmate killed in jail cell shootout
In a statement on Sunday, Gordon said that Espinosa’s killing robbed people of justice.
He said, “Ninakawan tayong lahat ng katarungan. Sino pa ang tetestigo kung mapapatay lang? Tao ang tunay na natalo dito. Kung yan ay talagang high value witness, naging high value target yan dahil nagsalita siya.”
[We were robbed of justice. Why would people come forward and become witnesses if it meant their death? People are the ones who lost here. If he (Espinosa) was truly a high value witness, he became a high value witnesses because he spoke up.]
Gordon also took aim at officials who were in charge of Espinosa’s safety.
He said, “Mukhang hindi nila ginawa yung mga dapat nilang gawin para masigurado ang kaligtasan ng isang testigo. Sino pa ang tetestigo ngayon, sino pa ang mag-o-offer ng impormasyon ngayon? Kung yung mga nasa custody na ng mga pulis, nasa custody ng husgado, napapatay sa loob ng bilangguan, who else is safe?”
[It seems like they failed to ensure the safety of a witness. Who else will come forward now, who else will give information? If the witnesses in police custody, in the custody of the court, are killed while in jail, who else is safe?]
Gordon had earlier said that the incident was a “deliberate operation” meant to kill Espinosa,
Read: Lawmakers: Espinosa’s death smells of extrajudicial killing, reeks of irregularities
CIDG-8 leader admits shooting Espinosa
In a Senate hearing last week, Chief Inspector Leo Laraga, leader of the CIDG-8 team that served the warrant to search Espinosa’s cell in Baybay, Leyte, admitted to shooting the Albuera mayor.
Laraga said Espinosa and Raul Yap, another inmate killed during the alleged shootout, resisted the search and fired at police, causing the operatives to fight back.
Related: CIDG team leader admits shooting Espinosa
But Laraga said Espinosa was not the “main target” of the raid, but Yap, for his illegal drug transactions inside jail.
SPO4 Juanito Duarte was the one who shot Yap, Laraga said.
Both Laraga and Duarte were relieved of their posts by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, along with 22 other officials.
Read: Witness: No shootout, Albuera Mayor Espinosa murdered
Senate Resolution No. 226
Gordon has filed a resolution to investigate the deaths of people which are mainly drug-related killings by the police during police operations, under police custody and detention, and outside legitimate police duty.
Senate Resolution No. 226 aims to make members of the PNP more accountable and responsible in fulfilling their constitutional duty to serve and protect the people.
In the statement, Gordon said the police have a lot to explain.
He said, “(E)ven police officials are saying na talagang maling-mali ang operation at walang coordination. Sinabi ko na dapat itawag sila ng abogado nila dahil mukhang ibinibitay na nila ang mga sarili nila. Ini-incriminate nila ang mga sarili nila sa mga testimony nila, mukhang mapapasubo sila ng malalim. Mabuti na lang meron silang kasamang lawyer kasi yung kanilang sinabi diyan ay pwedeng gamitin laban sa kanila sa husgado. Talagang bistado, maraming nagpapakita na talagang ito ay extrajudicial killing.”
[Even police officials are saying that the operation was wrong and without coordination. I said they should call their lawyers because they will end up hanging themselves. The are incriminating themselves with their testimony. It’s a good thing that they had a lawyer with them (during the hearing) because what they said could be used against them in court. They were caught, there is a lot of proof of this being a case of extrajudicial killing.]
