Push Admin

Drugs a 'family business' of Espinosas, claims police chief

Article (news)

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<h2>Mayor&#x27;s son linked to Cebu&#x27;s top drug lord</h2><figure class="op-interactive"><div style="padding-top:66.375%"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1466872" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></div></figure><p>MANILA - The clan of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. runs a &quot;family business&quot; of drug trafficking, his town&#x27;s police chief claimed Thursday.</p><p>Albuera police chief Insp. Jovie Espenido said the Espinosas&#x27; illegal enterprise is common knowledge at the police Intelligence Division of Eastern Visayas, where he had previously served.<br/><br/>&quot;Alam na alam kung sino talaga iyang pamilya [Espinosa]. That is a family business of Espinosa, iyung illegal drugs,&quot; he said in a DZMM interview.</p><p>Espenido, who started heading the Albuera police last July 18, said he also received reports that Espinosa and his alleged drug lord son, Kerwin, used hired thugs to intimidate residents and political rivals during the election period.<br/><br/>&quot;Maraming balita talaga. Maski bata, matanda, sino-sino, alam nila before and after the election kung sino si Espinosa, gaano ka-tindi si Espinosa, iyung grupo nilang mag-ama,&quot; he said.</p><p>LOOK: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/v2/08/02/16/exclusive-narco-mayor-owns-hotel-mansions-jet-skis"><strong>&#x27;Narco mayor&#x27; owns hotel, mansions, jet skis</strong></a></p><div><strong>NO GUNS, NO GLORY</strong></div><p>He added that employing private armed groups to &quot;kill and threaten&quot; citizens is a common practice among politicians in Eastern Visayas.</p><p>&quot;Dito sa Region 8, iyun talaga ang mas tsansa sa pulitiko kung papatay at mananakot ng tao. Mostly dito sa Samar at area sa Leyte, itong Albuera, ginagamit talaga nila ang pwersa nila para sa susunod hindi na magbigay ng pera, kasi takot na,&quot; he said.</p><p>Espinosa surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday, meeting a 24-hour deadline set by Presidente Duterte, who accused him of coddling drug rings.</p><p>The mayor later admitted that his son, Kerwin, is a top narcotics trafficker in Eastern Visayas. The younger Espinosa remains at-large and has reportedly <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/03/16/mayors-son-wanted-for-drugs-has-left-ph-sources">left the country</a> last June 21.</p><p>The mayor, however, denied that he is a narco-politician. He said his past electoral run was funded by relatives from the US.</p><p>On Wednesday, six alleged members of the &quot;Espinosa group&quot; were <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/03/16/6-killed-near-narco-mayors-house">killed</a> during a police operation at a residential compound of the mayor in Barangay Binulho, Albuera.</p><p>Police are still investigating the identities of the six men, but Espinido said the suspects were hitmen, according to their five cohorts who were arrested in an earlier buy-bust operation.</p><p>&quot;Itinuturo talaga sila nung mga dating nahuli natin -- mga pangalan, alyas, gaano ka-tindi itong mga tao na itong involved sa mga patayan before and after election natin,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said the suspects were hired by Kerwin from Zamboanga, Cebu and other adjoining provinces.</p><div><strong>KERWIN AND JAGUAR</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/8/3/kerwin-espinosa-080316.jpg"/></figure></div><p>Espinido added that Kerwin, also known as &quot;Boss K&quot;, would often exchange hired men with the late Jeffrey &quot;Jaguar&quot; Diaz, a suspected drug lord in Cebu.</p><p>&quot;Magkuha lang iyun (Kerwin) ng for hired from Cebu, from Bohol, kuhanin nun pati pera. Pagkatapos iyung tauhan niya rito, kuhanin ni Jaguar, magtrabaho doon sa Bohol, sa Osamis,&quot; he said.</p><p>Diaz was killed in a shootout in his safehouse in Las Piñas last June.</p><div><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/regions/06/18/16/cebus-top-drug-lord-is-dead-mayor-elect"><strong>Cebu&#x27;s top drug lord is dead: mayor</strong></a></div><p>But Espinido has doubts that the man slain in the encounter was really Diaz.<br/><br/>&quot;May information iyung tao na iyun ang best friend ni Jaguar, pero hindi iyun si Jaguar,&quot; he said.</p><p>The official said he has asked the Philippine National Police higher-ups to look into this claim.</p>

The clan of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. runs a "family business" of drug trafficking, his town's police chief claimed Thursday. 

Drugs a 'family business' of Espinosas, claims police chief

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

News

Drugs a 'family business' of Espinosas, claims police chief

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 04, 2016 09:37 AM PHT

Read More:

DZMM

drugs

Albuera

Leyte

Rolando Espinosa

Kerwin Espinosa

Jovie Espenido

Jaguar Diaz

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.