SITG Espino Jr. faces blank wall

By October 1, 2019Headlines, News

THE investigation into the slay attempt on former Congressman. Amado Espino Jr. that wounded him and killed his police bodyguard and driver hit a snag when a businessman tagged by the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Espino Jr. as the alleged last owner of one of the get-away vehicles denied ever owning the vehicle recovered by the police in Cobol, San Carlos City.

Jewel Castro, 24, of Baguio City, who has several businesses in Baguio, Manila and overseas, said he never owned a Hyundai Elantra or bought one although he admitted he is a lover of sports cars and owns several of these.  

In a report of Bombo Radyo Dagupan, Castro branded SITG Espino Jr. report that dragged his name into the slay attempt as “erroneous, misleading, irresponsible and reckless.”

Espino was wounded on the left side of his stomach and a bullet grazed his hand. Also wounded were Espino’s Staff Sgt. Jayson Malsi, and Kervin Marpori, a private nurse. Both   have been discharged from the Blessed Holy Family Hospital in San Carlos City.

According to P/Lt. Colonel Mary Crystal Peralta, the designated spokesperson of the SITG., the Hyundai Elentra was registered first in the name Marivic Villanueva, who sold the same to a Michael Padayao on Nov. 24, 2017, and who in turn sold the same to one Pedravallo Lucinerta and finally resold the same to Jewel Castro without any proof of deed of sale.   

Found inside the Hyundai Elentra were two Baby Armalite rifles, one standard Armalite rifle, one short and one long magazines and 35 live ammunition.

The recovered Ford Everest, registered in the name of one Paul Regalado of Manila was abandoned by the suspects in Barangay Pasima, Malasiqui where one grenade, two M14 rifles, for magazine assemblies for M-14 rifle, one M16 rifle Hydramatic and three assembly magazines for M16 rifles were found.    

SITG Espino Jr. headed by P/Col. Ismael Yu, deputy regional director for operation, has yet to release an update on Regalado’s ownership of the Ford van. 

Meanwhile, P/Colonel Redrico Maranan, provincial director, said more clues will be made available once the results of verification of firearms recovered by authorities are submitted.

Maranan said the SITG already has names of persons of interests and one of them is  Anthony Columbino, who survived the attack on Espino’s convoy in San Carlos City, presently he is in custody of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO).

Columbino himself requested the PPPO to place him under its the custody because of the alleged danger to his life.

Maranan said Columbino has begun talking with police investigators after recovering from severe panic or trauma due to the ambush. (Leonardo Micua/Nora Dominguez)

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