Dead cop’s gun used in killing officer last Monday
figure out what motivated the attack on Ungab, 44.
“His killers were riding a motorcycle in tandem, the same modus operandi of other victims of extra-judicial killings (EJK). Unlike the other EJK victims, he was a lawyer of an alleged drug lord,” said Cebu for Human Rights.
They believe Ungab’s killing was meant to send a message to lawyers not to defend those accused of drug violations.
“In the current situation where the government is waging a drug war, people brand lawyers as drug lords, too,” the group said. “Atty. Ungab did not deserve to die. He did not commit any crime by defending an alleged drug lord. He was just doing his job as a lawyer.”
The Young Lawyers’ Associa- tion of Cebu, Inc., of which Ungab was an active member, said that the Ronda vice mayor was one of about 200 lawyers who had signed a petition against extra-judicial killings last July 30, 2016.
“Indeed, his loss in the hands of these cowardly perpetrators who have no knack for fair play and justice is a big slap to all lawyers who, as officers of the court, adhere to the dispensation of justice,” read the group’s statement.
They called on colleagues “to unite and overcome this latest threat to our human rights.”
On social media, the hash tags #JusticeforAttyJohnUngab #StopEJK are being used by those demanding justice for Ungab or simply commenting on the case. A pistol recovered from a drug suspect who died in a buy-bust in Minglanilla last Monday was found to have been issued to a police officer killed in an ambush in the same town three years ago.
A .9mm Beretta recovered from Jovilio Franza was registered to SPO4 Razul Segismar, who was killed by an unidentified assailant outside his house in Minglanilla in 2015.
Chief Insp. Verniño Noserale, Minglanilla’s acting police chief, told reporters that after Segismar was ambushed by the lone suspect, his service pistol disappeared.
Noserale believes the recovered pistol shows that Franza may have been involved in Segismar’s death three years ago.
Police recovered the pistol after Franza was killed in a shootout with law enforcers in Sitio Bacay, Barangay Tulay last Monday afternoon. Also recovered were 38 grams of suspected shabu worth P500,000.
Heroism
PO2 Evie Espina was killed during the operation. He is the first policeman in Cebu to have died after the national government reactivated its Oplan Tokhang earlier this month.
Noserale said that Espina was a big loss to their office as he was known for being a hard-working cop. Espina worked for the Minglanilla Police Station for eight years.
Chief Supt. Robert Quenery, director of the Police Regional Office 7, said that assistance will be given to the Espina family.
“His gallantry and heroism shall always remind and inspire the police force in the region to continue the fight against all forms of illegal drug activities in the region even at the expense of the policeman’s life,” Quenery said.
In a separate interview, Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Peña said he plans to recognize Espino and his cohorts for successfully neutralizing the town’s top drug suspect.
Peña said a posthumous commendation will be given to Espina within the month. The town also plans to provide P50,000 as financial assistance to Espina’s family.