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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – When drug suspect Jesus “Jing-jing” Espinosa Jr. surrendered to the police on Oct. 4, he said he would be safer in detention, citing the death threats he had been receiving.
But yesterday, the former councilman of Barangay Monica Blumentritt, City Proper admitted he was still worried of his safety inside the Iloilo Provincial Integrated Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo.
Espinosa is currently serving his prison sentence for frustrated murder. He appeared at the Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday for the preliminary investigation of the complaint filed by the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG) against him for illegal drug and gun possession.
RAIDSOTG raided Espinosa’s house on Oct. 2 and claimed to have recovered seven sachets of shabu and guns with expired licenses.
Espinosa had been receiving threats through text messages and calls from unknown texters and callers. One text message, he said, read: “Halong ka, gwapo ka gale parts… dali na lang inadlaw mo panago ka lang maayo.”
Jail Senior Inspector Abner Zamora, warden of the Iloilo Provincial Integrated Jail, said they were making sure nothing bad would happen to Espinosa, ranked No. 2 in the Iloilo City Police Office – Police Station 1’s list of suspected drug personalities in the City Proper.
Zamora, however, made it clear Espinosa was not enjoying special treatment.
Espinosa said he was also concerned of his family’s safety. He has six children.
When he surrendered early this month, Espinosa said, “Gusto ko man magtawhay ang pinsar sang pamilya ko…(In prison) at least ila pinsaron didto lang ako sa sulod, indi sang kun diin-diin nga mabalaka pa sila.”
The Supreme Court ruled with finality Espinosa’s conviction for frustrated murder in 2012 yet but his imprisonment was not carried out for years because the records of his case were misplaced. It was only last month when these were found during an inventory.
Espinosa was charged with frustrated murder on Jan. 21, 2003 with two others – Robinito “Bord” Malaga and Cris Rudy Balidiong – for the shooting of Mark Serra, a resident of Barangay Monica-Blumentritt, on Nov. 24, 2002.
On June 20, 2005, the three of them were convicted by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 31.
Espinosa appealed his conviction. The case reached the Court of Appeals and all the way to the Supreme Court.
Espinosa was meted a prison sentence of eight years maximum as accomplice to the crime while Malaga got a maximum prison sentence of 14 years as the principal accused./PN
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