Slain fiscal refused to fix a gun case, say police

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna , Philippines  â€“ Last Thursday’s ambush-slay of the assistant provincial prosecutor of Batangas had something to do with his decision to pursue a case of illegal possession of firearms against the alleged masterminds.

Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, Calabarzon police director, told The STAR that barangay chairman Hermogenes Mendoza, husband of former Sta. Teresita town mayor Anna Marie Mendoza, allegedly tried to fix the case but fiscal Alexander Sandoval rejected this and pursued the charges.

With this work-related angle, Estipona said investigators have ruled out politics or personal grudge in the killing.

Estipona also considered the case “solved” with the arrest of Mrs. Mendoza and the suspected triggerman, Jayson Guerrero Espejo, and the filing of charges against them.

Espejo was collared a few hours after Sandoval was waylaid by two motorcycle-riding men in Barangay Muzon in San Luis, Batangas last Thursday morning. The prosecutor died from nine gunshot wounds.

Mrs. Mendoza, who ran and lost in the recent elections, was arrested during a raid on her house in Barangay Kalayaan, Sta. Teresita town last Friday.

The raid yielded at least five firearms, one of which – a .45-caliber pistol – was found unlicensed.

In an extra-judicial confession, Espejo tagged the Mendoza couple as the masterminds.

Police tracker teams are now going after Mendoza and a certain Toks and Richard Briones, although Estipona said they are still waiting for the arrest warrants for the them.

Briones was charged as an accessory to the crime as he owned the motorcycle used by Espejo and Toks. Two John Does were also included as respondents.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier said the National Bureau of Investigation would also conduct a parallel investigation into Sandoval’s killing.