A fellow inmate of slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa has claimed that a policeman planted the gun recovered from the mayor's jail cell, the Eastern Visayas Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS) revealed Thursday.

Operatives from the police Criminal of Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have claimed that Espinosa and another detainee, Raul Yap, were killed Saturday in a gun battle with policemen serving a search warrant at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City.

But RIAS investigator, Senior Superintendent Victor Ongkiko said an inmate gave a conflicting account, claiming he heard Espinosa in begging policemen to spare his life in cell number 1.

"Ang pagkasabi po ng inmate ng nasa cell 2, noong pagkapagsok po ng dalawang pulis, narinig niya ang sinabi ni Mayor Espinosa na, 'Sir, huwag niyo akong planteran. Wala akong baril.' Nagmamakawa, sabi nung inmate sa cell 2," Ongkiko told a Senate investigation.

"Nag-request pa raw itong si Mayor na iihi, at narinig ulit na sinabing 'wag na.' And after a few seconds, biglang may pumutok."

The witness said after the gunshots, a policeman entered Espinosa's cell holding a gun. When the cop came out, he was allegedly no longer holding the firearm.

"Pagkatapos po ng putok doon sa cell 1, lumabas na po iyung dalawang pulis at iyung isa, nanatili sa gate nung pathway. Pumasok po iyung isang pulis at nakita niyang may dalang baril na caliber .45, naka-gloves at pumasok sa selda ni mayor sa cell 1. At lumabas ng ilang segundo, wala na po iyung baril," Ongkiko narrated.

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WHAT HAPPENED TO YAP

The five cellmates of Yap, meanwhile, claimed police woke them up and ordered them to line up before asking them about their criminal offenses.

The cops allegedly instructed Yap to stay at the cell after learning that he was jailed for a drug-related charge.

The other occupants of cell 7 were transferred to a quarantine cell. It was not long after that they heard shots from the quarantine cell.

"Noong malaman na ang pangalan niya ay Raul Yap at ang kanyang kaso ay [paglabag sa RA] 9165, pinabalik po siya. Patuloy pong inilipat itong limang inmates sa kanilang quarentinas. Pagpasok po nila, hindi nagtagal, narinig po nila ang putukan. Iyun po ang salaysay ng ating limang inmates na kasama ni Raul Yap," Ongkiko narrated.

(When the policemen learned that his name was Raul Yap and he was charged with violation of the Comprehensive Drugs Act, he was ordered to return. The other five inmates were transferred to the quarentinas. When they got there, it was not long before they heard gunshots. That was the statement the five cell mates of Raul Yap.)

Watch a live stream of the Senate investigation into Espinosa's death here.