Chief Insp.
Jovie Espenido, town police chief said augmentation team from the provincial
public safety company, regional public safety battalion, and provincial police
office stayed outside the gates of Espinosa’s houses in Sitio Tinago, Benolho
village, six kilometers from the town center.
“The mayor’s
family informed us that Espinosa is willing to surrender, but the son is
allegedly out of the country. We are finding all means for them to peacefully
submit themselves to the authorities within the given period,” Espenido said.
The town is
generally peaceful even after the President’s pronouncement.
The mayor, a
neophyte politician and his son Kerwin, has been linked to illegal drugs trade
in the region. The son has been listed as a high value target of the Philippine
National Police.
“Today,
President Rodrigo R. Duterte demanded the surrender of Mayor Rolando Espinosa
Sr., of Albuera, Leyte and his son, Kerwin Espinosa, on the grounds of
drug-trafficking and coddling, within 24 hours, otherwise an order of “shoot on
sight” will be given if they resist and endanger the lives of arresting police
officer,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
On July 28,
two of Espinosa’s body guards and his three employees were arrested during a
buy-bust operation at the tennis court near the houses of the mayor.
Police
recovered at least PHP 1.9 million worth of suspected shabu from the operation,
conducted particularly against one Jose Antipuesto, the caretaker of the
mayor’s fighting cocks.
BNB/SQM/ELVIE ROMAN ROA/EGR
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