Espenido faces prosecutors for criminal complaint on June case

August 14, 2017

A police officer awarded by President Rodrigo Duterte for its contribution in the government’s war against drugs will undergo preliminary investigation on criminal charges filed against him by relatives of a suspected robber who were killed in an operation last June.

Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, Ozamiz City police chief, and three other police officers were accused of killing nine suspected robbers.

Espenido and Chief Inspector Glyndo Lagrimas, Senior Police Officer 4 Renato Martir Jr. and Police Officer 1 Sandra Louise Nadayag were earlier summoned by prosecutors to answer charges of murder and arbitrary detention.

Prosecution Attorney Loverhette Jeffrey Villordon will conduct the preliminary investigation in hearings Tuesday and on August 22 requiring them to submit counter-affidavits.

The complaint was filed by relatives of Francisco Manzano, one of the nine alleged robbers killed during a shootout with police last June 1.

It accused the policemen of killing suspects during the series of raids in Cabinti and Balintawak villages where six suspects were arrested.

Police recovered firearms, pieces of jewelry, and sachets of suspected shabu from the suspects during the raids.

Espenido led policemen in implementing a search warrant at home of Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog on July 30. But cops said the mayor’s men fired at them. Parojinog, his wife and 14 others were killed in the shootout.

The  mayor's children, Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and Reynaldo Jr., were arrested during the raids and later indicted for charges of drug possession and illegal possession of firearms. DMS