7 cops tagged in Espinosa attack negative in paraffin test – PNP
Headquarters of the Philippine National Police and its logo. File photo
MANILA, Philippines — The seven police personnel tagged in the shooting of Albuera mayoral candidate Kerwin Espinosa tested negative in the paraffin test, a method to check for gunshot residue on a person, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
The police personnel were taken into custody after being found by authorities in a compound, where they found a vehicle that allegedly fled the scene immediately after Espinosa was shot at a campaign event last Thursday.
“The results of the paraffin test have been received and the result is negative,” PNP public information chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Tuesday.
However, Tuaño stressed, “What we say, as a rule: the paraffin examination is not conclusive about whether they were the ones who fired the shot or not, whether it’s positive or not… It can be entered as circumstantial evidence that we can reinforce from there.”
The seven suspects were found to possess three .9mm pistols, two .45 pistols and a 5.56 rifle, which were then submitted to the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO 8) Forensic Group for ballistics examination, the PNP public information chief added.
Seven suspects
He added that a case against the seven suspects was already filed by PRO 8 for violations of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act and Batasang Pambansa No. 881 or the Omnibus Election Code.
According to Tuaño, the compound was a residential area with a dead end.
When asked why the seven suspects were in the compound, Tuaño said: “Those policemen claimed they were just resting.”
Regarding who owned the compound, Tuaño refused to disclose details, only saying: “According to Regional Director Brig. Gen. Jay Cumigad, the owner of this compound is a friend of a congressman known in the area.
READ: 7 Ormoc cops in custody for attack on Espinosa
PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo previously said the police personnel were assigned to the Ormoc City Police Office.
Tuaño detailed that the compound was about 15 to 20 minutes away from Ormoc City.
He added that authorities also found four vehicles at the site, using one car to take the seven personnel under restrictive custody at the PRO 8 headquarters and leaving the other three cars pending a search warrant.
READ: Poll chief: Espinosa attack not cause to place Albuera under ‘red’ tag
The PNP public information chief further detailed that the involved policemen were composed of Ormoc City Police Director Col. Reydante Ariza, an intelligence officer, and five non-officers.
