Nabbed couple tags Leyte mayor’s son as drug supplier

KANANGA, Leyte, Aug. 22 (PNA) – A couple, categorized as high value target, nabbed by Kananga, Leyte police in a recent drug buy bust revealed that Kerwin, son of Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. provided them supply of illegal drugs and protection.

This was confirmed in an interview Sunday with suspect Sarah Tan, 50, identified as the town’s number two in the drug watch list.

She disclosed that Kerwin, a suspected top drug lord in the region, provided them the supply of illegal drugs they disposed in the town.

Sarah also identified the mayor’s son as the one who apparently sheltered her to smoothly carry out the illegal drug trade in the area, making her untouchable.

“Kerwin provided us drugs supply. He promised us that he would do the rest so we would not be arrested,” she disclosed.

“There were times he would call telling me to cool down and leave the place for a while, then days after, our house were raided,” Sarah recalled.

Her husband Ernesto Tan, 54, was categorized number three in the watch list.

The lady suspect known as “Princess” in their business circle, said Kerwin delivers a hundred grams of shabu worth PHP260,000.00 that she pays when disposed.

The couple left the town in June and came back last week of July to surrender to the police. Sarah insisted they stopped doing the prohibited business since then.

The joint police operation in relation to project Double Barrel conducted by provincial office and the town’s Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation Task Group (AIDSOTG) allegedly bought illegal drugs from Tan in their house at Riverside, Poblacion, Kananga town.

Sarah denied owning the confiscated items, saying “those were planted.”

Equipped with a search warrant issued by Presiding Judge Ephrem Abando of Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in Hilongos, Leyte, the operatives confiscated nine sachets of shabu, PHP500 marked bill and drug paraphernalia from the possession of the couple.

Chief Insp. Ricky Reli, Kananga police chief confirmed the two had surrendered, however, a surveillance showed they were still engaged in the trade causing their arrest.

Six of the town’s top drug personalities already submitted themselves to police and the top in the list has been eyed.

“The police are serious in running after those who still indulge in the outlawed occupation and who are still resorting to use drugs. I urge everybody to stop.” Reli said. (PNA)
FPV/SQM/ELVIE ROMAN ROA/EGR