Leyte governor welcomes 'narco' mayor’s surrender

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 2 (PNA) -- The Leyte provincial government has welcomed the move of Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa, accused of involvement in illegal drugs trade, to surrender to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said that with the mayor under police custody, the official will have a chance to explain his alleged links to illegal drugs.

“This is a welcome development to the anti-drug campaign of the President. This will also encourage other drug personalities in the province to surrender,” Petilla said.

Espinosa, who ran as independent candidate in the May 2016 elections, is not a political ally of the governor, but the former responded to the invitation of Petilla to join the mass oath taking on June 26 in Palo town.

“That was the first time that I talked to him, but we only discussed about developments in the province,” he recalled.

Espinosa is new in politics, but he enjoyed a landslide victory in the mayoralty race, obtaining 12,242 votes. He defeated incumbent Ramon Dela Cerna and Vice Mayor Norman Mesina, who got 5,065 and 2,847 votes, respectively.

On Monday night, Malacañang asked the mayor and his son, Rolando Espinosa, Jr. or known as “Kerwin” to surrender within 24 hours or face the “shoot on sight” consequence.

“I was not really shocked or surprised to hear the call to surrender because I heard reports that he’s allegedly involved in illegal drugs,” Petilla said.

The mayor surrendered to the PNP general headquarters Tuesday morning, but his son is still at large.

 The younger Espinosa is reportedly out of the country.

Albuera, a third class town in Leyte province is about 123 kilometers northwest from Tacloban, the regional capital. Its more than 40,000 population is distributed in 16 villages. (PNA)

PGL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO