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[av_heading heading=’Jing-jing faces imprisonment’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Four years after the Supreme Court affirmed his conviction for frustrated murder, Barangay Kagawad Jesus “Jing-jing” Espinosa Jr. of Barangay Monica Blumentritt, City Proper still has to serve time in jail.
The records of his case were remanded by the Supreme Court to the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 31 here in 2012 but according to journalist and blogger Manuel Mejorada, these “were buried out of sight” due to “topsy-turvy” filing. Because of this, Espinosa’s imprisonment was not carried out.
The records of Espinosa’s case were discovered only recently during an inventory of cases.
A source at Branch 31 said the court may likely act on Espinosa’s case next week yet.
RTC Branch 31 presiding judge Rene Hortillo already retired. A new judge was recently assigned to the Branch – Presiding Judge Yolanda Panaguiton-Gavino of RTC, Branch 34.
But Gavino was scheduled to begin reporting to Branch 31 just yesterday.
Espinosa was charged with frustrated murder on Jan. 21, 2003 with two others – Robinito “Bord” Malaga and Cris Rudy Balidiong – for shooting Mark Serra, a resident of Barangay Monica Blumentritt, on Nov. 24, 2002.
Balidiong died during the pendency of the case. On June 20, 2005, the three of them were convicted by RTC, Branch 31.
Espinosa appealed his conviction. The case reached the Court of Appeals and all the way to the Supreme Court.
Espinosa was given 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.
A source from RTC, Branch 31 who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter told Panay News that the case’s records were remanded to the lower court for implementation of the sentences on Sept. 7, 2012 yet.
But during that period, courts here were temporarily relocated to the campus of the defunct De Paul College due to structural and safety issues of the Iloilo Hall of Justice; the edifice sustained cracks after an earthquake. The transfer affected the filing of court records./PN
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