DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The son-in-law of slain Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa died in a shoot out with police here on Wednesday in an anti-illegal drug operation.
In an interview with TV Patrol Southern Mindanao, Toril Station Commander Police Chief Inspector Ronaldo Lao confirmed that Jake Bolanio Dela Cruz was the husband of one of Espinosa’s daughters, whom he did not name.
Lao said his men and some members of the Police Regional Office 8 were serving warrants of arrest
on Dela Cruz at around 9:00 am at the boarding house he was staying in Barangay Bato, Upper Piedad, Toril.
Lao said Dela Cruz fought back, which resulted into his death.
Lao said Dela Cruz had been the subject of police surveillance for three months, wherein they monitored that he frequently traveled to nearby Digos City where he sourced his supply of
marijuana.
Recovered were four empty 9 mm shells, and one Ingram; a compact, automatic machine pistol which Dela Cruz supposedly used to fight the police.
The police had five warrants of arrest for Dela Cruz, who was wanted for the murder of two cops, illegal possession of high powered firearms, ammunition, and illegal drugs.
Lao said Dela Cruz was originally from Leyte, but was monitored to have relocated to Davao City, where he had many relatives, sometime in August 2016.
Espinosa, whom President Rodrigo Duterte publicly said had ties to the illegal drugs trade, died November 5 of last year,after a supposed shootout with the Crime Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 operatives while he was detained in Baybay City Provincial Jail.
The National Bureau of Investigation and the Commission on Human Rights ruled his death as a “rubout,” contrary to police assertion that he and another inmate, Raul Yap, initiated a firefight when the police tried to serve him a search warrant.
Supt. Marvin Marcos, along with 19 other police officers were recently reinstated by Police Director General Rolando Dela Rosa at the behest of Duterte himself. (davaotoday.com)
