Espenido included on drug watchlist, source says

Police Lieutenant Colonel Jovie Espenido, the cop who led the anti-illegal drugs operation against the Parojinog clan in 2017, is included in the government’s drug watchlist.

This was confirmed by a reliable source, who refused to be identified, to GMA News Online on Wednesday afternoon. 

According to the source, the accusation against Espenido will still be investigated similar to the other cops allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Espenido has been relieved from his post as Bacolod City police deputy director for operations due to the allegations, the same source said.

In October last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said he assigned Espenido to Bacolod City since the area was badly-hit by the proliferation of illegal drugs.

“Bacolod is badly hit now.  And I placed Espenido there, ‘yung kinatakutan nila na pulis. Sabi ko, ‘Go there and you are free to kill everybody.’ T— ina.  Start killing them.’ Dalawa na tayo magpapreso,” Duterte said in a speech at the 45th Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Manila.

The operation against the Parojinog resulted in the deaths of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 15 others. The family has been accused by President Rodrigo Duterte of being linked to the illegal drug trade.

Before the drug raid in Ozamiz City against the Parojinogs happened, Espenido was the police chief of Albuera, Leyte when Mayor Rolando Espinosa died during a bloody police search operation at a jail facility in Baybay City in 2016.

Sought for comment, Espenido said he would only give his statement once Philippine National Police chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa confirms that he is indeed included in the list.

For his part, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace will verify reports linking Espenido to illegal drugs.

“We should verify that,” he said. “If that is officially received by the Office of the President, the President will investigate.”

GMA News Online also sought the comments of Gamboa and PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac on the matter but both have yet to reply as of posting time. 

Gamboa earlier bared that a total of 357 cops were allegedly involved in narcotics. Of that number, 15 have availed optional retirement while 43 others had gone AWOL (absence without leave).

Gamboa said the adjudication process will begin on Thursday. — with Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News