By NITZ ARANCON
and ALWEN SALIRING
Correspondents
THE Jamaca family expressed disappointment over a regional court’s decision to grant bail to Senior Insp. Ludwig Charles Espera and Insp. Arnel Gighe, suspects in the Dec. 11, 2014 Jamaca-Yabut murder case here.
Rolando Jamaca, the father of murder victims Roland and Harold, said he was appalled and that he would file a motion for consideration.
Jamaca said Judge Vincent Rosales of the Regional Trial Court Branch 23 granted the motion for bail on Friday that was filed on behalf of the suspects by lawyer Noel Vedad.
Rolando said he and his family were worried about their security since the court ruling would mean allowing the two police officials to be back in the streets.
The elder Jamaca, a retired policeman, said he received threats early this year. He questions the court ruling, pointing out that the murder is supposedly a non-bailable offense. “Makasubo gyud taliwala nga duna kami lig-on nga mga ebidensya ug mga witnesses,” he said. “Nganong nakapiyansa man nga naa may survivor witness nga akong pag-umangkon nga si Jim?” Jamaca also expressed disappointment over the failure of the police to arrest two other suspects, PO1 Manuel
Quipanes and PO1 Junriel Barrientos. He asked rhetorically: “Ngano kaha nga dili man nila madakpan si Barrientos ug Quipanes? Tungod ba kay pareho sila pulis?”
City Prosecutor Fidel Macauyag said the court may grant a petition for bail if it sees weak evidence.
“Even though non-bailable gyud ang murder case, (a) suspect can apply for bail, and it’s up to the court to determine kung strong o dili ang evidence para maka grant og bail,” Macauyag said.
Jamaca has also decried the snail-paced process in the administrative case he filed at the National Police Commission. The next hearing for the administrative case he filed has been set on Oct. 30, this year. “Makaluya gayud ang hustisya sa Pilipinas,” he said.
Espera and Gighe surrendered and were detained in connection with the murders of Jamaca brothers in Barangay Mambuaya, and Erica Yabut in Barangay FS Catanico here in December.