Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday said it was no less than President Rodrigo Duterte himself who had ordered the killing of late Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa.
Trillanes was reacting to Duterte’s earlier statement that he would not allow police officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 (CIDG-8) to go to prison despite the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) recommendation to file murder charges against them.
Related: Duterte on cops in Espinosa killing: I won’t allow them to go to prison
In a chance interview with reporters minutes after Duterte’s speech in Mandaluyong City, Trillanes said, “Yung statement niya na yan ang nagpapatunay na siya ang mastermind sa pagpatay (kay) Mayor Espinosa.”
[Translation: That statement proves he is the mastermind in the killing of Mayor Espinosa.]
Trillanes said this explained why the President ordered the reinstatement of CIDG-8 Chief Supt. Marvin Marcos, one of the officials who carried out an operation at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City last November 5, which led to the killing of Espinosa.
“Kase konektado, siya yung tumawag nung pag reinstate tapos eto nga ina-arbor niya to make sure na yung mga taong inutusan nila ay hindi makulong,” Trillanes, a staunch Duterte critic, said.
[Translation: Because it’s connected, he ordered Marcos’ reinstatement and now he’s making sure the cops he ordered won’t be jailed.]
Trillanes and Sen. Leila de Lima agreed Duterte’s statement could eventually be used as evidence against him.
“Yang mga ganyang salita (These words), these are circumstantial evidence, these are indicative of that angle na baka nga may kinalaman siya sa pagpatay (that he may have a hand in the killing),” De Lima said.
Trillanes urged Duterte to respect the result of the investigation of the NBI that what happened was a rubout, not a shootout, as police claimed.
But Duterte said he would stand by his men: “Sabi ng NBI, murder, ganun, sabi ng pulis, Sir lumaban yun. Oh edi dun ako maniwala sa pulis.”
[Translation: NBI said (it was) murder, police said (they) fought back. I believe the police.]
CNN Philippines’ Cecille Lardizabal and Eimor P. Santos contributed to this report.
