Suspect’s pa denies son’s link in shooting episode
An ideal scapegoat.
This was how Jesus Espinosa, Sr. apparently described his son, Jesus Jr. alias Jing-Jing, amid accusations that he tried to murder his two uncles very recently.
Jing-Jing was accused of shooting his father’s second cousins, brothers Pascual “Toto E” Espinosa and Leo Espinosa early morning of Tuesday at Zamora St., Brgy. Sta. Monica, City Proper, Iloilo City.
Coming in defense of his son, the elder Jesus said that it was so easy for others to attribute the shooting incident to his son.
“Kay man tanan nga nagakalatabo sa area namon kag sa ila, ginapa-tuto tanan kay Jing-Jing. I don’t know kung ano gid na ang pagdumot nila kay Jing-Jing,” the father told ABS-CBN Iloilo.
As if answering his own question, Jesus Sr. theorized that the latest accusation stemmed from the court’s dismissal of the case filed by Pascual against Jing-Jing and five others.
Pascual accused the six suspects after he was ambushed last November 1, 2003.
“Naglain to kuno ang buot nila kay gin-dismiss sang Korte. Ti, sin-o to basulon mo kami? Ang Korte ang naghambal,” Jesus Sr. said.
He also reacted to Pascual’s claims that a possible encounter might occur once his path will cross with that of Jing-Jing.
Although not directly answering if they would be doing some defense stance, Jesus Sr. assured that their camp would not make any provocation on Pascual’s group.
In fact, he claimed that he is open for a possible reconciliation.
“Kung gusto mo mag-uli-ay kita liwat, ang mensahe ko, I am still open for reconciliation sa inyo tanan nga mag-ulutod,” he told the other Espinosa family.
While Jesus Sr. was rebuffing his son’s participation, the two wounded Espinosa positively identified Jing-Jing as their attacker.
Leo narrated that Jing-Jing and his unidentified companion shot him first while the suspect’s alighted from a black Ford Everest (FGJ-507).
“Waay gid ko ka return fire kay may igo na ko eh. Wala ko armas. Pero kung wala ko maigo, nakasulod ko kag nakapangita sang armas kag naka return fire gid ko sa iya,” said Leo who was hit on his right leg.
Pascual, who went out of the house to rescue his brother, sustained bullet injuries on his left arm, right foot, left leg, and left side of the chest.
He claimed that the incident was triggered by Jing-Jing’s grudges against him.
Pascual explained that when he was still a city councilor, he led the city government’s Task Force Adam’s Apple.
“Na-akig sila sa pag-expose ko sa ila nga mga drug lords sila. Didto gid guro nag-lain ang ila buot sa akon. Pila da sila sa Waterfront nga involved sa pagbaligya sang shabu,” he claimed.
That’s why, Pascual said that Jesus and his family tried to kill him during the 2003 ambush.
As this developed, Pascual, 59, of Pueblo, Mandurriao, Iloilo City and Leo, 49, of Zamora St., are still recuperating from their injuries at the Iloilo St. Paul’s Hospital.