Albuera vice mayor takes over for Espinosa

Albuera, Leyte Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses on Friday took over the affairs of the municipal government after Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was unable to discharge his duties following his surrender over his supposed involvement in the illegal drug trade.

"We're back in operation. We just have to be confident that it will return back to normal," Meneses said in a report of GMA News' Ivan Mayrina on "24 Oras."

The report showed people flocking to the town hall to do their transactions, two days after six men believed to be part of Espinosa's private army died in a shootout with policemen.

Meneses had said that the municipal council enjoyed a good working relationship with Espinosa until Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, who linked the Espinosa family to illegal drugs, was assigned to head the Albuera Police.

Espenido has been vocal against Espinosa, saying the latter is unfit to lead the municipality due to his alleged illegal drug operations and a liquidation squad that goes after enemies.

The police chief showed to GMA News the firearms police dug up at a hill in Barangay Doña Maria which reportedly belong to Espinosa's son, Kerwin, Eastern Visayas' suspected drug lord.

Authorities also discovered the supposed hideout of some of the men who figured in the encounter last Wednesday.

"Tignan mo ang ginawa. Nahulihan pa natin to prove na hindi siya nagsabi ng totoo (no private army). So yun nga ni-request natin para humaba ang buhay niya, mag-resign siya," Espenido said.

Espinosa had said Espenido issued a death threat against him on July 22, an allegation the police chief denied. —Virgil Lopez/JST, GMA News