Actorand Ormoc City mayor Richard Gomez filed a complaint-affidavit charging Police Chief Inspectors Jovie Espenido and Leo Laraga and PO3 Hydie Yutrago of Grave Misconduct, Oppression/Grave Abuse of Authority, Dishonesty and Conduct Unbecoming of a Public Officer.
Laraga, who is the CIDG Provincial Officer, said Gomez was involved in the drug trade with the Espinosas of Albuera during the investigation of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs and Committee on Justice and Human Rights on the death of Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. while detained at Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail.
Laraga told Senators Vicente Sotto III and Juan Miguel Zubiri during the hearing that he merely heard the accusation during a case conference and later admitted that he does not have personal knowledge of its veracity.
Gomez also narrated that three trusted men of Kerwin Espinosa, son of Mayor Espinosa, executed “ready-made affidavits” attesting to their knowledge of the drug trade. These affidavits, which included lists of names of personalities involved in the drug trade, were made by PO3 Yutrago who promised the three that they will be placed under the Witness Protection Program upon signing of the affidavits.
“Espenido and Yutrago fabricated evidence to support the malicious filing of cases against several persons… [they implicated] innocent individuals and instead aid[ed] the escape of the real criminals involved in drugs. Laraga maliciously implicated me as a drug protector in a public hearing aired live on national television. His reckless statements had no purpose but to destroy my reputation,” said Gomez.
Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez of the fourth district of Leyte echoed her husband’s recommendation that the officers be immediately placed under preventive suspension to ensure impartial investigation and prevent them from further threatening the witnesses of this case.
“As police officers, [the] respondents’ lack of regard to the truth in the President’s all-out campaign against drugs, render them unfit to be members of the PNP. [They] must be punished for their deplorable acts in order to preserve the stringent standard for police officers,” stated Atty. Alex Avisado, legal counsel of Gomez.
The case was filed at the National Police Commission (NAPOCOM) office in Quezon City on November 16. RPANGILINAN