Two get life terms for Espinosa slay

The Makati City Regional Trial Court sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday two of 12 people accused of the murder of Masbate congressman Moises Espinosa Sr. in 1999.

Neither of the two convicts, however, are in custody. Florencio Fernandez, who allegedly masterminded the murder with his brother Jolly Fernandez, is out on bail and did not attend the promulgation. Jolly himself was subsequently killed.

Jimmy Cabarles was reported to have died, though no death certificate has been submitted to authorities.

Others charged with Espinosa’s murder suffered various fates. Vicente Lim Sr. and Susana Lim, initially accused of being the masterminds, were acquitted after they agreed to be state witnesses.

The charges against Rene Tulla and Ronnie Fernandez were archived since they remain at large.

Four of the accused — identified as Nestor Lim, deceased; Nonilon Bagahilog; Jaime Liwanag, who is also reportedly dead; and Zaldy Dumalag — were acquitted.

The 12th person accused of Espinosa’s murder, Masbate Gov. Antonio Kho, was acquitted in August 2005 after the latter filed a demurrer to evidence when the prosecution rested its case.

Judge Manuel Victorio ordered Fernandez and Cabarles to pay Espinosa’s family P1.4 million in civil, actual, and moral damages.

He also ordered the two men to pay P100,000 in damages to each of the families of three other people killed during the assassination — Gaspar Amaro, Artemio Fuentes, and Antonio Cortez.

Records show that Espinosa was killed at around 7:30 a.m. on Mar. 17, 1999 after arriving by plane at the Masbate airport.

While walking towards the exit gate where his security escorts were waiting for him, a man with an AK-47 assault rifle opened fire in his direction and fled to a nearby cemetery where he boarded a motorcycle and escaped.

Espinosa was seriously wounded and was brought to the Masbate Provincial Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Three other persons he was with died on the spot, while a bystander, 13-year-old Dante Seblantes, was wounded.