Police name former local official as suspect in ambush of ex-Pangasinan governor Espino

MANILA, Philippines – A former provincial board member who died in March is among the suspects in the slay attempt against former Pangasinan governor Amado T. Espino Jr in 2019.

In an interview over DWCM Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan on Monday, July 20, Pangasinan police chief Colonel Redrico Maranan said they have confirmed the involvement of former Pangasinan Board Member Raul Sison in the incident.

Espino had earlier raised the same suspicion. Sison died of COVID-19 on March 26.

“Talagang ‘pag inaral mo ‘yung kaso ay talagang tuturo kay BM Raul Sison sapagkat ang mga gumawa ng insidenteng ‘yon base sa ebidensya at testimonyang hawak natin ay mga tao niya; mga taong malapit sa kanya,” Maranan said.

(If you really study the case, it really points to BO Raul Sison because those behind the incident – based on the evidence and testimonies that we gathered – are his people; people close to him.)

Maranan also said warrants of arrest have been issued against several suspects, and that authorities are tracking down them down.

He said the cases against the suspects are supported by “complete” evidence.”

“Kumpleto tayo. May mga CCTVs tayo, may DNA evidence tayo, mga fingerprint – kumpleto ang ebidensiya natin diyan. Kaya nga lumabas yung warrant of arrest against sa kanila sapagkat ‘yung judge na humahawak ng kaso ay nakumbinsi sa nafile nating kaso,” Maranan sad.

(Our evidence is complete. We have CCTV, DNA evidence, fingerprints – we have complete evidence in that regard. That’s why the warrants of arrest were issued against them because the judge handling the case was convinced by the case we filed.)

Maranan also said that a car owner who was earlier linked to the crime had been dropped was no longer a suspect, due to lack of witness testimony.

He said, however, that the individual was not yet off the hook, and that a case would be filed once the police gather enough evidence against him.

Maranan said the progress of the Espino case is “one of the fastest” as suspects had been identified in less than a year. Other similar cases, he said, usually take years. – Rappler.com