The Department of the Interior and Local Government has strongly condemned the ambush on former Pangasinan Gov. and Rep. Amado Espino Jr. in San Carlos City, Pangasinan last Wednesday.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año has ordered the creation of a special police investigation team to go after the perpetrators.
“We vehemently denounce this villainous act as this incident undermines the resolute efforts of our law enforcers to ensure peace and order,” Año said.
Año added: “I have given specific instructions to the Philippine National Police to immediately create a team to probe the incident and track down the culprits responsible for this crime.’’
Espino was on board a Toyota Land Cruiser backed up by his bodyguards aboard a Toyota Innova when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen while passing through Barangay Magtaking.
He survived the ambush but police escort Police Staff Sgt. Richard Esguerra died in the incident. Espino’s other security aide initially survived but later expired while undergoing treatment.
The DILG chief said that police are scouring several areas in the province to track and arrest the gunmen. He noted that police investigators are following several possible leads on the motive behind the ambush.
Año added the police have recovered the getaway vehicles used by the suspects, a Ford Everest and a Hyundai Elantra, as well as several long firearms inside the vehicles, in Pangasinan.
“We will give you updates on the results of the investigation by the police. We want to get to the bottom of this as soon as we can,” Año said. (Chito Chavez)
