In an interview on radio dzBB on Sunday, Espinosa's lawyer Lannie Villarino said before his death, Espinosa was able to execute two affidavits which the police used to lodge cases against several individuals implicated by the mayor.
"Isa iyan sa pinakamalaking anggulo na tintignan natin. Kasi the threat to the life of the mayor, nag-umpisa iyon after there was this... lumalakas na... na may ie-execute siya na affidavit tungkol doon," said Villarino.
Operatives of the CIDG-Region 8 were at the jail to serve search warrants on Espinosa and drug suspect Raul Yap for separate cases when the latter reportedly fired at the cops and a shootout ensued.
The cops were about to serve a search warrant on Espinosa for violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Villarino said their camp will be formally writing the National Bureau of Investigation and the Commission on Human Rights to conduct their respective parallel investigation on the incident.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II had earlier already tasked the NBI to probe the supposed shootout.
Villarino questioned the timing of the serving of the search warrant.
"Isang malaking tanong, bakit kailangan i-implement ang warrant ng 4 a.m. eh si mayor was already in detention and naka-secure na siya," said the lawyer.
Jail officials conduct "greyhound operations" to seize contraband inside jails.
"We are not thinking of filing any case yet kasi we are waiting for the result of the investigation. It's too very early po. The family is still in shock.The family still wants to grieve. Mahirap pagsabayin lahat," she said.
"But definitely, we will undertake the proper remedy kung may inconsistency or illegal," she added.
Villarino earlier in the day said an autopsy report on Espinosa's remains revealed that he was a victim of an "overkill." The lawyer said his client's body sustained four gunshot wounds, which he sustained while already on the ground.
"Mayroon akong nakausap na sinabi yata, inamin na yata ng CIDG na nasa kanila iyong hard drive. Kinuha nila. There is already an admission na kinuha iyong hard drive," said Villarino.
"Ang reason nila, para makita raw na may standoff between them and iyong jail guard," she said.