Policemen tagged in Espinosa killing released on bail

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Superintendent Marvin Marcos, attends the Senate drug hearing at the Senate building in Manila on November 23, 2016. Kerwin was arrested in the United Arab Emirates last month and will face drug trafficking charges. / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Superintendent Marvin Marcos, / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS

Eagle News — The 18 policemen who were tagged in the killing of former Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., have all been released on bail.

The policemen led by Supt. Marvin Marcos of the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Grouo (PNP-CIDG) Region 8 had been released from the Leyte Sub Provincial Jail last Saturday, June 17 after having been detained for more than two months.  They were arrested on March 20, 2017.

Judge Carlos Arguelles of Branch 14 of the Baybay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) signed the release order for the temporarily release of the policemen.  Bail was set at  P40,000 each of the two counts of homicide for the killing of Mayor Espinosa and another detainee at the Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail, Raul Yap.

The murder cases earlier filed against the policemen had been earlier downgraded to homicide.

Aside from the former PNP-CIDG 8 chief Supt. Marcos, the other policemen who were released on bail were police officers Deogracia Pedong Diaz III, Calixto Canillas Jr., Lucresito Candelosas, Benjamin Dacallos, Antonio Docil, Mark Christian Cadilo, Norman Abellanosa, John Ruel Doculan, Jaime Bacsal and Jerlan Cabiyaan for the homicide case involving Mayor Espinosa.

Police officers Noel Matira, Leo Daio Laraga, Melvin Caboyit and Johnny Abuda Ibanez, on the other hand, were released on bail for the homicide case involving Yap.