MANILA - The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 on Monday insisted that Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed in a shootout with operatives searching his jail cell, contrary to claim of an alleged rubout.

Speaking to radio DZMM, CIDG Region 8 chief Marvin Marcos refuted a news report that Espinosa, who was earlier tagged by President Duterte as a "narco-politician," was murdered while pleading for his life.

"Iyan po ay kwentong walang katotohanan. Marami pong lumalabas na hindi tama at wala pong katotohanan. Ang kapulisan po ninyo ay hindi kriminal, kami po ay nagpapatupad ng batas," he said.

(That story has no truth. There are many reports which are false and not true. Your policemen are not criminals, we are law enforcers.)

Marcos also denied that the CIDG orchestrated Espinosa's death on the orders of ranking officials whom the mayor accused of receiving payoffs from the narcotics ring of his son, alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

He also cited a news report that Espinosa, according to his sibling, had confessed that his affidavit was fabricated.

Espinosa and fellow detainee Raul Yap were shot dead during an alleged shootout with CIDG operatives sweeping their cells for drugs and guns in the wee hours of Saturday.

Marcos has justified the predawn search by saying that it was done to maintain an element of surprise.

Several officials, including Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Albuera police chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, have raised suspicions that the mayor was murdered in a possible rubout.

• Lacson fears for Kerwin Espinosa’s life, blasts killings

A Philippine Star report also quoted Leyte provincial jail warden Homobono Bardillon as saying that Espinosa was heard begging for his life before CIDG men shot him dead.

Bardillon added the jail guards tried to prevent the CIDG team from entering the jail premises because they could not produce any search warrant, the report said.

The CCTV footage of the alleged "shootout" is still missing, as of this writing.

DZMM Teleradyo, 7 November 2016