Ex-soldier suspect moved to Samar jail

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines —The former soldier tagged in the killing of Fr. Cecilio Lucero, priest human rights advocate, was already transferred to a jail in Northern Samar after he was arrested by a joint military-police team in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur last Feb. 13.

The suspect, 29-year-old Jerry Domasig Espera of Mondragon town in Northern Samar was fetched by policemen on Wednesday and taken to the jail in the province where he is facing also a string of cases of murder, kidnapping and rape.

Regional police spokesperson Supt. Jose Carumba said Espera was arrested at the Sta. Cruz bus terminal by joint operatives by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Consuelo Esedera of RTC-Branch 20 in Catarman, Northern Samar for kidnapping and illegal detention with rape.

Espera had reportedly applied as bodyguard of Sta. Cruz Mayor Joel Ray Lopez but, during a background investigation, authorities learned that he had pending arrest warrants and was also implicated in the murder of Lucero in 2009.

Lucero was a member of the Promotions of Church People’s Response (PCPR) in Northern Samar, parish priest of Catholic Church St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Catubig, Northern Samar and chairperson of Social Action Center of the Diocese of Catarman.

At around 8:30 a.m. on September 6, 2009, Lucero with two other companions were on board a van on their way to downtown Catarman when waylaid with bullets by bonnet-wearing suspects armed with high-powered firearms at sitio Fuente, Brgy. Layuhan in San Jose, Northern Samar.

Two other civilians were injured in the attack. Lucero was the younger brother of former Northern Samar congressman Wilmar Lucero and former Northern Samar vice governor Antoni Lucero. (FREEMAN)