Espinosa slay: CIDG-8 men react to NBI filing of raps

PASTRANA, LEYTE, Philippines — Maritess, the estranged wife of Senior Superintendent Marvin Wayne Marcos, regional head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-8, said her husband would not issue any statement to the media regarding the filing of criminal charges of the National Bureau of Investigation against him and CIDG-8 operatives and members of the Maritime Police Command-8.

Marcos and his men served search warrants against Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and Raul Yap, at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City, dawn of November 5, but resulted in the deaths of the two inmates.

The CIDG-8 team insisted there was a shootout, but the NBI said it was a rubout, thus the filing of multiple murder charges against Marcos and his men who raided the jail.

Maritess on Tuesday evening shared to The Freeman the message of Marcos to her: “Take care of our children, and try not to worry of the present crisis I am facing for I can manage and face the challenges of life.”

In a separate interview however, Senior Police Officer 2 Alphinor Serrano Jr, who is among those charged by the NBI, said he was dismayed over the inclusion of his name to the operation, insisting he was not part of the team.

Serrano, who is the son of Judge Alphinor Serrano Sr. of the Regional Trial Court-branch 6 in Tacloban City, narrated to The Philippine Star and The Freeman that he arrived at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City at around 9:30 a.m. on November 5, when Espinosa and Yap were already gunned down.

“As investigator of the CIDG, I just went to the crime scene just to find out what really occurred in the operations. I was not even allowed to get inside the jail perimeter. My name was only placed in the accomplishment report, but I was not part of the raiding team,” Serrano declared.

In his counter affidavit filed at the Internal Affairs Service of the police, Serrano cited a statement of Eul Caorte, reporter of Kaugop Radio who was invited to cover the CIDG raid. Caorte attested that Serrano arrived at the jail at past 9 a.m. and that the latter was not part of the team.

The NBI, in its investigation report, stated that the Marcos-led CIDG-8 only made it appear that its operation was legal by obtaining the search warrants, which were issued by RTC-Basey Samar Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr.

Sabarre said he was convinced of the testimony of Paul Oledan, a former inmate who the CIDG-8 presented to Sabarre as witness that Yap and Espinosa were keeping shabu and guns inside the jail, justifying the search warrant.

“Because we have a power to determine whether a particular testimony of witness was true or not based on his demeanor and evidences, that is why a search warrant application filed by the CIDG was granted, but I was specific in my order for the CIDG to coordinate with jail’s officials,” Sabarre added.

Earlier NBI-8 regional director Jerry Abierra said it was the easiest conduct of an investigation to find out the truth of the incident, because all of the witnesses and documentary evidences were available. People needed in the investigation were also cooperative and insisted on giving and sharing their statements, he said.

According to NBI officials it was a “rubout” and not shootout, as earlier claimed by the CIDG. Before Espinosa was killed he pleaded to the CIDG team not to frame him and not be killed as he had no guns inside his cell. That was the last words and voice heard from the late mayor, before several gunshots rang out. The mayor and Yap were later found bloodied and dead inside their respective cells. (FREEMAN)