Four police escorts of the CIDG team stood by, Espinosa begged for his life.
“Ayaw gyud ko ninyo plantere, sir, wa ko armas nga gitago,” Espinosa was heard saying before gunshots rang out. Moments later, he lay dead, along with an inmate in an adjacent cell, Raul Yap.
Closed circuit television footage of what the CIDG team claimed was an armed encounter with Espinosa and Yap is missing. But Leyte provincial jail warden Homobono Bardillon yesterday detailed what he described as the final moments of Espinosa and Yap.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) grounded the CIDG team yesterday pending an investigation of the killing.
Bardillon said the jail guards tried to prevent the CIDG team from entering the jail premises because no search warrant could be produced.
“They heard gunshots fired inside the cell of Espinosa where the slain mayor was begging (for his life) from the CIDG operatives,” Bardillon said.
“They could do nothing but simply observe. Otherwise, malaking gulo (it would spell big trouble),” Bardillon said.
Espinosa’s daughter Maricar said they were expecting him to join the family on Christmas.
“Despite the disaster we have been experiencing in the family, we are still hoping for real justice for the death of a helpless father, who was murdered while behind bars,” she said.
Maricar also urged the government to provide security for her brother Kerwin.
The PNP announced the grounding of the CIDG team yesterday.
“On orders of the CIDG director, they are directed to stay in their respective offices to make themselves available for any queries (about the raid) from competent authority who has official interests in the case,” PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said.
The CIDG claimed Espinosa had tried to shoot it out with the policemen who were serving a search warrant for drugs and guns.
Laraga claimed they were forced to fire back after they were shot by Espinosa and Yap, who were in separate cells.
Laraga said they applied for the search warrant after an informant revealed Espinosa and Yap were dealing in illegal drugs from inside the jail.
The informant added Espinosa and Yap had firearms stashed somewhere inside their cells, Laraga said.
CIDG regional director Chief Superintendent Marvin Marcos defended his men, saying they were forced to kill the two detainees in self-defense.
Marcos said they are ready to face a probe.
“Yes, we are willing to submit to any probe and cooperate,” he said. “This is also an avenue for us, especially… the CIDG operatives who served the search warrant to clear their names and the CIDG of course. Speculations will not help in the investigation; let’s await the results of whatever investigation may come.”
Marcos also denied earlier reports that the CIDG raiding team confiscated the CCTV video in the jail that could show the supposed firefight.
“That is a blatant lie... why should we get and destroy a vital facility which is not ours?” Marcos said.