MANILA – The Department of Justice on Thursday recommended the filing of homicide charges against Ozamiz City police head Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido and two others in connection with a deadly raid in June last year.
There was probable cause to charge Espenido, Senior Police Officer 4 Renato Martir Jr. and Police Officer 1 Sandra Nadayag with six counts of homicide each, stated a 10-page resolution penned by Assistant State Prosecutor Loverhette Jeffrey Villordon.
The indictment stemmed from a complaint filed by Carmelita Manzano, who alleged that her husband and other family members were killed during a raid on June 1, 2017.
Manzano’s husband Fancracio, son Jerry, their daughter’s common-law husband Victorino Mira Jr., nephew Lito Manisan, niece’s common-law husband Romeo Libaton, and one Alvin Lapeña died in the operation in the middle of a birthday celebration.
But the accused claimed that it was a legitimate police operation and that the slain individuals were suspects in a series of shooting and robbery incidents in Ozamiz City.
Despite their defense, the prosecutor considered the officers’ admission of killing the victims adequate to establish probable cause for homicide but said the accused may post bail for each count of homicide after the filing of the case in court.
“In other words, they wish to avail [themselves] of the justifying circumstance of fulfillment of a duty or killing in the lawful exercise of a right or office,” the Justice department resolution stated. “Unfortunately for respondents, their admission of killing the herein victims is, on its own, sufficient to establish probable cause for the crime of homicide.”
On the other hand the Justice department dismissed the arbitrary detention charge against Espenido, Nadayag, and Chief Inspector Glyndo Pujanes since it had “no legal grounds” and lacked evidence to establish illegal detention.
Espenido, a recipient of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Order of Lapu-Lapu citation, also led the predawn police raid that killed Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife, brother, and 12 others in July last year.
Espenido was also the chief of police in Albuera, Leyte when the town’s then Mayor Rolando Espinosa, a drug suspect, was shot to death inside his jail in the Baybay City Provincial Jail in 2016./PN
