By Ronron
April 30, 2007
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Calderon disclosed on Monday that the initial investigation on the shooting incident last week in Jaen, Nueva Ecija pointed to the responding Regional Mobile Group (RMG) III team as the party who fired the first shot.
In a press conference at Camp Crame yesterday afternoon, Calderon said: “The initial result of the investigation points to the group on the ground, not to the group of ex-Mayor (Prospero Antonio) Esquivel, as the one who opened fire first.”
Calderon added: “We have more witnesses who say that it came first from the ground.”
The three-car convoy of Esquivel was about to pass along the road in Barangay Dampulan, Jaen town last Thursday night when it exchanged gun fires with members of the RMG who were out to respond to a report that armed men were seen at the site.
The shootout resulted in the death of two persons and the wounding of 12 others, mostly belonging to the party of Esquivel.
Esquivel accused Nueva Ecija 4th District Representative Rodolfo Antonino as the one who ordered the shooting since he was seen by Esquivel in the company of the six-man RMG team on the ground.
Although Antonino did not deny he was at the scene, he denied Esquivel’s allegation he ordered the RMG personnel to open fire. Antonino instead challenged Esquivel to explain why his convoy did not slow down despite the signal of the RMG personnel to do so since there were people attending Antonino’s nearby political caucus beside the road.
Antonino said he could not have ordered the shootout or ambush on Esquivel’s party since he was in the company of his wife and two children at that time.
Antonino and Esquivel are two feuding political families in the province despite belonging to administration parties, the former with KAMPI and the latter with Liberal Party-Aitenza wing. Esquivel has accused Antonino as the person behind his dismissal from the Mayoralty post last January for alleged grave misconduct.
The case stemmed from allegations Esquivel illegally recalled the appointments of three Board of Director members of the Jaen Water District.
The two though are running for different positions this May 14 polls. Antonino is seeking another term as Congressman, while Esquivel is trying his luck again for the Mayoralty post in Jaen.
Asked if Esquivel can still run despite his dismissal order from the Office of the Ombudsman, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said: “He was dismissed but not yet convicted. So, there is no penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office.”
Sr. Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, chairman of Task Group Jaen, which is tasked to investigate the shooting incident, said Esquivel has yet to issue a statement to the police, particularly on why his convoy refused to heed to the slow-down signal.
Calderon said the incident prompted him to order all regional police directors to make sure that all police escorts provided to political candidates will come from one unit to avoid misencounters.
“I gave a nationwide directive today that those who will be assigned as security to a political candidate should report to higher authorities or caution the politicians if the latter are found to be carrying guns that are not registered with the Comelec, or unlicensed, or if they bring along armed goons. It is their responsibility,” Calderon said.
Eleazar said they have yet to wrap up their investigation since they are completing all ballistic examination results, awaiting for others to submit themselves to the same, and still gathering the testimonies of all concerned./DMS
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