Cuevas to Espinosas: Don’t put law into your hands
Being a victim does not give a person a freehand to retaliate by illegal means.
This, PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas declared following the “ubusan ng lahi” (extermination of the family line) declaration made by Pascual “Toto E” Espinosa III against the family of his cousin and archenemy, Jesus Espinosa, Sr.
“On our part, we are appealing to them not to put the law into their hands. Let the law prevail and let justice prevail,” Cuevas said.
For the region’s top cop, Pascual’s declaration is just “a normal reaction of a person who felt deceived and victimized.”
“But I think it will just die down. It depends upon them. But the long arms of the law will reach the perpetrators,” he added.
Cuevas said that everybody is subject to police operations.
“They should not use illegal means to solve this case,” he said adding, “But what could be better is for them to settle their differences but this does not compromise the filing of the case against the perpetrators.”
Cuevas said that the police are conducting an in-depth investigation of the shooting incident which injured Pascual, 59, of Pueblo, Mandurriao, Iloilo City and his younger brother, 49-year old Leo Espinosa of Zamora St.
Reports said that the brothers and their immediate kin were on a gathering at their ancestral house at Zamora Zamora St., Brgy. Sta. Monica, City Proper, Iloilo City when the incident happened.
At around 2:30 a.m. of Monday, while some of them had a drinking spree, Leo and Pascual went out of the house but were immediately greeted with a burst of shots from Jesus Espinosa, Jr. alias “Jing-Jing,” son of their cousin Jesus Sr.
The suspect and an unidentified companion alighted from a black Ford Everest (FGJ-507) parked a few meters from the Espinosa ancestral home.
Pascual sustained bullet injuries on his left arm, right foot, left leg, and left side of the chest while Leo suffered gunshot wound on his right leg.
Meanwhile, Cuevas said that they already have an evidence to prove that the vehicle recovered belongs to a person who has a connection to the suspect.
Records from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) showed that the vehicle was registered to a certain Sylvia Espino Ferner of Rizal St., Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.
It was not known what was the link between Ferner, who is married to a German national, and the suspect.
But unconfirmed reports said that Ferner incurred some financial loans from a quite infamous person in Iloilo City who in turn let Jesus Jr. borrowed the car.
It could not be ascertained for now if Ferner will also be subjected to an investigation.
As this developed, Cuevas said that they would do pre-emptive measures to prevent the same incident from happening again.
“We directed our personnel, especially in Waterfront area, to intensify our visibility patrols,” he added.
Cuevas also left it to the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to augment the existing personnel at the Waterfront Detachment.
