A firefight between Espinosa and Raul Yap and the operatives of the Criminal Investigation and
Detection Group in Northern Leyte (CIDG8) resulted in the deaths of the two detainees, a police incident report said.
“Detectives of Northern Leyte CIDG8 led by PCI Leo Laraga together with RMU8 as participating unit implemented two search warrants inside the Sub-Provincial jail at Brgy. Hipusngo, Baybay City, Leyte in which a firefight ensued between the suspects (subject of the search warrant) and the CIDG8 operatives that resulted [in] the [deaths] of the said suspects namely: Rolando Espinosa and Raul Yap,” the report said.
Albuera, Leyte Police Chief Juvy Espinido said CIDG operatives went to the prison to serve a search warrant amid an allegation that the mayor illegally possessed firearms, when the two allegedly resisted, Radyo Inquirer 990 reported. Espinosa and Yap were killed at past 4 a.m., he said.
“The raiding team is now securing the crime scene and waiting for the SOCO-8 to arrive for processing the crime scene,” the report added.
Espinosa was earlier charged with possession of drugs and unlicensed firearms after a raid on his house yielded at least 11.5 kg of “shabu” and several firearms and ammunition.
He had previously sought protective police custody for fear of his life after he and his son, Kerwin, were tagged as among Eastern Visayas’ biggest drug lords.
The younger Espinosa was arrested in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and remains under UAE custody while authorities there investigate whether he had been involved in illegal activity in the country. CDG
Malacañang on Saturday reserved its reaction on the death of Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. pending an ongoing investigation.
“Right now it’s really under investigation so wala po tayong actual na komentaryo patungkol diyan (so we cannot give an actual comment on that),” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in an interview with state-run dzRB radio.
Abella declined to give further comments on the said incident.
In a statement sent Saturday afternoon, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the death of Espinosa was “unfortunate.”
‘The death of Albuera Mayor Espinosa is unfortunate. Investigation is now ongoing but initial reports indicate that the former mayor was killed while being served a search warrant,” Andanar said.
Police reports said Espinosa was killed in a “firefight” after allegedly resisting arrest at the Baybay, Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail, early Saturday morning.
An incident report from the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Espinosa and another detainee, identified as Raul Yap, were killed after the two allegedly got into a shootout with operatives of the of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Northern Leyte.
Police said the two drug suspects reportedly fired at the cops who were inside the jail to serve the arrest warrant.
On Aug. 2, Espinosa showed up at the PNP headquarters in Quezon City and surrendered to PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Espinosa was earlier named by President Rodrigo Duterte to be involved in illegal drugs. He is the second mayor in Durte’s “narco-politician” list to be killed after Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao, along with nine others, was killed in a clash with the police just last week.
Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa killed in ‘firefight’ inside jail
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