Businessman belies owning Elantra in Espino ambush

September 22, 2019 Headlines

BAGUIO CITY — Businessman Jewel Castro, tagged by police investigators as one of the owners of the vehicles used by gunmen in the ambush of former Pangasinan governor Amado Espino Jr., is denying owning any red Hyundai Elantra car.
“I did not acquire from anyone as I, in fact, never had the opportunity to own any Elantra car at all,” 25-year old Baguio-born businessman who has since established several businesses in Metro Manila and nearby areas said.
Police found high-powered guns in the Hyundai Elantra which was recovered in San Carlos, and the Everest, which was found in Malasiqui town, a day after.
Espino’s convoy was waylaid last week in San Carlos City, Pangasinan killing his driver and another bodyguard.
The retired police general, who also became a three-term lawmaker in Pangasinan, was hurt and is now recovering at a hospital.
Castro bewailed the “erroneous, misleading, irresponsible and reckless report” which according to him besmirched his reputation and jeopardized his “sense of security for I was unjustly dragged into this crime”.
The “SITG Espino” reportedly traced Castro at the end of a buy-sell transaction of the Elantra car after a certain Marivic Villanueva, its registered owner, sold it to a certain Michael Padayao on November 24, 2017 then sold again to Pedravallo Luciñera before selling it to the young businessman.
The owner of the blue Ford Everest SUV, also found abandoned by policemen, remained registered under a certain John Paul Regalado.
 
Artemio A. Dumlao