PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa relieved Thursday (November 10) 24 police officers involved in the killing of Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa inside his detention cell in Baybay, Leyte.
De Rosa said he has instructed PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management Fernando Mendez Jr. to facilitate the immediate issuance of relief orders to 18 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and six Regional Maritime Unit (RMU) personnel in Eastern Visayas, pending investigations of several agencies over the death of Espinosa.
Espinosa, tagged as a potential asset on the government's war on drugs, was killed in his cell at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail by members of the PNP-CIDG of Eastern Visayas.
The Senate started Thursday its investigation on the incident.
Dela Rosa assured that there will be no whitewash in the investigation on the killing of the Albuera mayor.
“Let me assure everyone that there will be no whitewash in the investigation; ferry out the truth; and slap appropriate sanctions or charges to our personnel who have committed violations,” the PNP chief said.
Relieved were 18 members of the CIDG-Eastern Visayas and six RMU personnel.
CIDG-Eastern Visayas personnel:
Superintendent Santi Noel Matira
Superintendent Marvin Marcos
Chief Inspector Leo Laraga
Senior Inspector Eric Constantino
Senior Inspector Deogracias Diaz III
Senior Inspector Fritz Blanco
Senior Police Officer 4 (SPO4) Melvin Cayobit
SPO4 Juanito Duarte
SPO2 Alphinor Serrano Jr.
SPO2 Benjamin Dacallos
PO3 Norman Abellanosa
PO3 Jhonny Ibanez
PO2 Neil P. Centino
PO1 Jerlan Cabiyaan
PO1 Kristal Jane Gisma
PO1 Divine Grace Songalia
PO1 Lloyd Ortigueza
PO1 Bernard Orpilla
RMU personnel:
Chief Inspector Calixto C. Canillas
Senior Inspector Lucrecito A. Candilosas
SPO2 Antonio R. Docil
SPO1 Mark Christian C. Cadilo
PO2 Jaime P. Bacsal
PO2 Jhon Ruel Ducolan
The above mentioned policemen allegedly tried to serve on November 5 search warrants against Espinosa and another inmate Raul Yap, but the two prisoners reportedly engaged the cops into a firefight that resulted in their deaths.
The 24 cops have been reassigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in Camp Crame to face investigation by the Internal Affairs Service. (With DDA/Sunnex)