President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the surrender of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin otherwise a SHOOT-ON-SIGHT order would be given against the suspected father and son DRUG LORD tandem.

NARCO POLITICS?

Duterte gives Leyte mayor 24 hours to surrender over alleged drug links

 

 

Duterte gives shoot to kill order against Leyte town mayor Espinosa for drugs (politicss.com.ph)

Shoot-on-sight.

President Duterte called on Mayor Ronaldo Espinosa Sr., of Albuera, Leyte and his son, Kerwin Espinosa, to peacefully surrender to lawmen or face the full wrath of the law.

“Today, President Rodrigo R. Duterte demanded the surrender of Mayor Ronaldo Espinosa Sr., of Albuera, Leyte and his son, Kerwin Espinosa, on the grounds of drug-trafficking and coddling, within 24 hours,” Duterte said speaking thru Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella.

“…otherwise an order of “shoot on sight” will be given if they resist and endanger the lives of arresting police officers,” the President added.

Duterte issue the statement as he presided a cabinet meeting at the Palace. THe President has waged an all-out war against illegal drugs.

 

Leyte mayor on leave as 5 in his staff caught with P1.9M shabu

4 other suspects escape, seek refuge in mayor’s compound

Robert Dejon   Inquirer Visayas  July 29th, 2016

ALBUERA, Leyte — Two bodyguards of  Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and his three employees were arrested during a buy-bust operation on Thursday afternoon where at least P1.9 million worth of shabu were recovered.

Four other suspects managed to escape after they went inside the house of Kerwin Espinosa, the mayor’s son, and locked the gate, the police said.

The house of Kerwin is located inside a gated compound where his father also lives.

Chief Insp. Jove Espinido, Albuera police chief, said they had no authority to barge into the compound after the gate was locked.

“We want a fair fight. We don’t want martial law,” he added. He did not say what his next legal move would be to compel the Espinosas to surrender the suspects.

The buy-bust operation was conducted about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, at the tennis court near the houses of the mayor and his son at Sitio Tinago, Barangay Benolho in this town.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried to reach Mayor Espinosa but was told that he had gone on leave since last week.

Arrested during the operation were two of the mayor’s bodyguards – Jessie Ocares, 34; and Marcelo Adorco, 40 – and his three employees – Jose Antipuesto, Jeffrey Pesquera and  Ernesto Dumalat.

Antipuesto, 36, who took care of the mayor’s fighting cocks, was the target of the buy-bust operation after the police received reports that he was selling the illegal substance, said Espinido.

He said a poseur buyer bought P300 worth of shabu from Antipuesto.

When the undercover policeman announced it was a sting operation, several men at the tennis court scampered in different directions.

But the joint team of the local police and the Regional Police Safety Battalion was able to collar Antipuesto and four others.

Although Ocares and Adorco were armed, they didn’t put up a fight.

Four men managed to escape by seeking refuge to the house of Kerwin.

Seized from Ocares were a .45-caliber pistol and a pack of shabu weighing 84 grams. A .45 caliber pistol and a packet of shabu weighing 121 grams were recovered from Adorco.

At least 14.8 grams of shabu were recovered from Antipuesto.

Pesquera, 39 and a native of Cebu City, also worked for the mayor as caretaker of his fighting cocks.  Shabu was also found in his possession.

Dumalat, 20, and another employee of the mayor, was caught with two small packs of shabu weighing 3.7 grams.

The suspects denied owning the shabu recovered from them.  All in all, the packets of shabu would reach P1.9 million in street value.

Adorco and Ocares said guns seized by the police were covered by licenses and a permits to carry firearms.

The five were detained at the Albuera police lock up cell pending filing of charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 2002).