Lawyer: CIDG faked evidence vs 2 cops

By NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent

THE lawyer of Senior Insp. Charles Ludwig Espera and Insp. Arnel Gighe, suspects in the Jamaca-Yabut murders, yesterday accused the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of fabricating evidence in order to implicate his clients to the Dec. 11, 2014 killings.

Lawyer Noel Vedad maintained that Espera and Gighe were innocent, and that the only reason why their names were dragged into the case was because the regional director of the CIDG at that time allegedly had an ax to grind against them.

Vedad said Espera and Gighe were charged only in connection with the murder of Ma. Erica Yabut and the attempt on the life of her boyfriend Jim Jamaca in FS Catanico. He said the police officials were not charged with the murders of siblings Roland and Harold Jamaca in Mambuaya.

Jim earlier identified Espera and Gighe as members of the group that took him, his girlfriend and the Jamaca brothers from a house in Barangay Carmen. They were then shot in separate barangays here.

Vedad alleged that the CIDG made Jim link his clients because the then CIDG regional director, Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum, begrudged them as a result of a Dec. 12, 2014 standoff at the Cogon police station.

Vedad said Tagum threw his weight around because he wanted four CIDG “assets” (informers) released by the Cogon police but Espera and Gighe supposedly stood their ground. The “assets” were arrested in Camaman-an for illegal arms possession. Vedad also defended a court ruling that granted Espera and Gighe’s motion for bail, saying Jim’s testimony and the results of the Scene of the Crime Operatives’ findings contradicted.

He said regional Judge Vincent Rosales found the evidence in the murder and frustrated murder case against Espera and Gighe to be weak.

Vedad cited, for instance, Jim’s account that he lost one of his hands because it was shot in order to remove a handcuff used on him and Yabut. But the results of the Soco findings, he said, show his hand was cut off with a bladed weapon, and not because of bullets.

Vedad said the Soco also found no power burns in Jim’s severed hand. “Contradict na kaayo ang testimonya ni Jim sa statement sa Soco nga nag-presentar sa ilang investigation,” Vedad said. He said the prosecutor also did not present PO3 Aileen del Rosario who prepared Espera’s and Gighe’s photographs that were shown to the lone survivor by the CIDG.

“The CIDG is misleading the public tungod kay ang kaso ni Espera ug Gighe ma-o ra ang kasong murder ug frustrated murder tungod sa pagkamatay ni Ma. Erica Yabut ug pagka-injured ni Jim Jamaca. Wala silay labot sa Harold-Roland Jamaca double murder case,” he said.

The new CIDG regional director, Senior Supt. Romeo Beleros, earlier said they were contemplating on pressing charges against the judge for allowing Espera and Gighe to bail out. The CIDG maintained that the case against the two police officers was strong.