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Business
Friday, Septemb er L3, 2OL9
Espino out of danger
BY VICTOR REYES
FORMER Pangasifl an govemot and
congressman Amado EsPrnoJr. has
been declated out of danget after be-
ing shot in an ambush in San Catlos
Gty, Pangasinan on WednesdaY.
"The formet congressmari is in
sable condition, he's out of dan-
ger. The others ate, one of them
is still being treated, the others
are out of danger alreadY'''said
Pangasinan Police director Col.
Redrico Maraoan.
Espino! po[ce secutitY escort,
Suff Esguerra, died
'on Sgt. fuchard
the spot while tfuee other es-
corts were iniued - Police Staff
Sgt,Jayson Malsi and civilians Kev-
in Marfori and Agapito Culson.
Maranan said he talked to EsPi-
no yestetday at the hosPital where
he was tecuperating Reports ear:
liet said Espino was brought to the
Blessed Family Doctors General
Hospial in San Cailos.
Maranan said a task force (SPe-
cial Investigation Task Firrce
Espino) had been formed to look
into the ambush.
Maranan said Espino was on
his wav to the San Carlos Citv
p.op.r,' fro* Basista town, when
his spotts utiliry vehicle and an
escolt vehicle werc frred uPon bY
unidentified gunmen around 4:30
p.m. on Perez Blvd.
"The former congressman sus-
tained a gunshot wound on the
right side of his stomach arld his
dght hand was grazed (by a bul-
let)," said Matanan.
Maranan said the ddver of the
escort vehicle, former Policeman
Anthony Columbiq was uascathed
and went home after the ambush. He
said Columbio was latet invited, as a
wimess, to shed light on the incident.
Tpo of the tluee vehicles used bY
the gunmen have been recoveted,
along with seven rifes, a 12-gauge
shotgun, a halrd grenadq magazines
and ammunition. Also recovered
were about 169 sPent shells.
Maraoan said EsPiiio wrote
him a Iettet last week requesting
for police security detail because
a thi btnint
of tlreats he had been receiviog.
Mannan did not elaborate.
"If I am not mistaken, Iast week
'r4.q.g-'req'o
Insght
he wote us because he received
threats, so we Ptovided him (a)
temporary securiry detail \)(/e gave
him (security) upon his request."
Citing potice assessments, Ma-
ranan said the gunmen aPPeared
to be members of a gun-for-hire
syndicate.
"Based on t-lre equiPme nt'we le-
covered, high powered (firearms),
and the vehicles they used, and
how they moved, these ate Pros.
(fhe anack) seemed Precise, the
planning was good." he said.
He, hovrever, refused to sPecu-
late as to the motive.
"We believe the motive will
come out based on the evidence
that (we) ate going to gather. Once
you complete that levidence gath-
ering), you'll develop the motive"'
he said, adding they want to solve
the case as soon as Possible but are
nor setting a timeline.
'Ve are conducdng a thorough
(investigatioo). We don't want to
miss anPhing commit a mistake.
\l(/e vant ro solve this case as soon
i-,, .orr..t, propet way "
"iporrtli "
The teadershiP of the House
of Representatives condemned
in the stongest possible term the
attempt on the life of EsPino and
demanded that the PNP leave oo
stone unturned to bting the PerPe-
tators to justice.
"The House leadershiP undel
Speaker Alan Petei Cayetano
condemns in the suongest Pos-
sible terms the ambush incident.
We appeal to our authotities to
arrest tiose behind this dastardly
act," said majority leader Martin
Romualdez.
Deputy Speaker Luis RaYmood
Villafuette of Camadnes Sur said
"such murdetous act has no Place
in our society, especially under dris
adrninistrition that has woo broad
and deep populat supPort because
of its tough staoce on crime."
"The House leadershrP is calling
on the Phjlippine National Police
(PNP) to form righl away a stnke
force that would track down and
apprehend the susPects along with
behind this dastardlY
act-and to put all of them behind
bars at the soonest possible time,"
said Villafuerte.