Lawyer dies, client safe
THEY, lawyer and client, were together in court when the judge read the verdict.
But just about an hour later, the lawyer was gunned down.
When lawyer Jonnah John Ungab was ambushed near the Hall of Justice along the port service road, self-confessed drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. was safe in the hands of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“We have to secure him as directed by our higher ups. That’s our work,” said NBI-7 Director Patricio Bernales.
Espinosa, he said, didn’t show any emotion when informed about the death of Ungab.
Agents of the NBI escorted Espinosa from the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to the Cebu City Hall of Justice early morning on Monday.
After the court proceedings, Espinosa was brought to the NBI-7 office where he rested for some hours before flying back to Manila.
“By now, he’s already back in Manila,” said Bernales in an interview Monday evening.
Bernales was tight-lipped about other details, citing security reasons.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale urged law enforcers to identify and arrest the assailants as well as the mastermind behind the killing of Ungab who also served as vice mayor of Ronda town, south Cebu.
“I am shocked by the violent death of Ronda Vice Mayor John Ungab. I strongly urge our law enforcers to bring those responsible to justice,” the governor said in a statement.
Magpale also expressed the same sentiment.
“I am shocked and saddened by the news. He’s the vice-mayor of Ronda. I cannot imagine the reason behind it but I’m worried that a place like Cebu, our perception is that it’s a very safe place, but it’s easy to ambush local officials,” she said.
Ronda town Mayor Mariano Blanco III described Ungab as a good leader.
“In terms of being a public servant, he was a good vice mayor,” he stated.
“Na shock gyud ko. (I was really shocked),” he added.
Ungab was Blanco’s running mate in the May 2016 elections. Like Davide and Magpale, Ungab and Blanco were members of the Liberal Party (LP).
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