Prosecution Cop witness vs ‘drug lord’ a no-show

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — An Ormocanon policeman, who is a member of the Special Weapons Action and Tactics team, had failed to appear before the prosecutor’s office here late Friday afternoon, to sign the complaint and his judicial affidavit against a recently arrested suspected drug lord and 12 others.

Police Officer 3 Manny Rodriguez remained incommunicado, as of press time, according to Ormoc City Police director, Senior Superintendent Jose Macanas, who did not hide his frustration over this matter.

Rodriguez was one of the arresting officers in a raid conducted on March 5 that resulted in the arrest of Rolan “Kerwin” Espinoza, 33, who the police alleged was one of the biggest drug lord hereabouts.

Twelve other people were arrested in the raid, including a relative of Albuera town Councilor Nelson Pepito and Marcelo Adorco, 40, an alleged gun-for-hire who was caught last year with high-powered firearms.

The testimony of Rodriguez would be material to the complaint of illegal possession of high-powered firearms and grenade against Espinoza, who the policeman caught hiding in the bushes allegedly in possession of a Colt-M4 Carbine 5.56 Rifle (serial number SN1078861).

Rodriguez was reportedly with PO2 Eusebio Obligado who found a grenade inside Espinoza’s yellow sling bag, according to the police.

Macanas said they were still trying to locate Rodriguez, adding that the latter’s non-appearance would be tantamount to “sabotage” of the case. He said that failure of Rodriguez to help in prosecuting the arrested suspects would cause him to face an administrative complaint.

The top City Police official said Rodriguez’ no-show in pinning down “high-target” suspects, like Espinoza, would be an insult to the Gallant SAF 44, who died in Mamasapano for the sake of the country. Cowardice has no room in the police force otherwise a policeman should go out if he cowers in fear.

City Prosecutor Marcelo Oñate, on the other hand, after waiting for Rodriguez to appear until 7 p.m. Friday, put a marginal note on the affidavits about the policeman’s non-appearance.

Lawyer Rogelio Bato, counsel for Espinoza and company, said they will question the discrepancy in the affidavit. “We will have all of Rodriguez’s statements stricken off,” he said.

The raid on Thursday, initially marred by a brief exchange of gunfire between the policemen and those from inside the house, was spearheaded by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for the purpose of arresting Momasimban Limbona, a native of Mindanao who is now residing at Barangay Tambulilid, this city.

However, instead of catching Limbona, the CIDG operatives arrested instead Espinoza, who was outside the house of Limbona, and the 12 others who were inside.

Eventually, the raiding team also found and confiscated several high-powered firearms and handguns, as well as a number of big sachets of suspected “shabu” from the house of Limbona.

Chief Inspector Elvis Angay-angay, on the other hand, said he could not yet divulge the exact volume of shabu seized during the raid. “We are not allowed to do that unless the official results from the crime lab is out,” he said.

Meanwhile, the CIDG-6 operatives, with Espinoza in tow, also served a separate search warrant for high powered firearms in his house at Barangay Benolho in Baybay City that same day. They police also allegedly recovered from his master’s bedroom an armalite with ammunition and another grenade.

The complaint against Espinoza, on this case, was also filed during an inquest proceeding before Baybay City prosecutor Friday evening.