Kerwin Espinosa clears Richard Gomez, others in Visayas drug trade

Suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa on Wednesday cleared before senators some personalities, including former actor Richard Gomez, allegedly tagged by his father, deceased Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa, to his illegal drug operations.

During the resumption of the Senate investigation on the elder Espinosa's killing, Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs, asked Kerwin Espinosa to clarify the names supposedly mentioned by his father in his affidavit.

Espinosa said he had not transacted with Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso. “Hindi kita kilala, wala kaming transaction ni congressman,” he said.

Kerwin Espinosa said the same thing about Governor Leopoldo Petilla and Vice Governor Carlo Loreto.

He said he knew Baybay Vice Mayor Mike Cari, who was also mentioned by the police, but he also denied doing any transaction with him.

Espinosa also denied giving proceeds of illegal drug operations to Gomez, who is now the mayor of Ormor city.

“Baka mabaril ako diyan, MAD 'yan,” he said, referring to Gomez’s former organization, the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Droga.

During the previous hearing, Chief Inspector Leo Laraga said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group had to apply for a search warrant against Rolando Espinosa in Samar province because there were some local politicians in Leyte involved in the drug operations.

The elder Espinosa was killed in his detention cell early this month after he allegedly engaged policemen who were serving the search warrant in a shootout.

Kerwin had earlier said he believes his father was a victim of a police rubout. —KBK, GMA News