7 cops in custody over Kerwin Espinosa shooting — PNP

Seven cops are now under custody after being tagged as persons of interest in the shooting of Albuera, Leyte mayoral candidate Kerwin Espinosa, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Friday.

“Meron po ngayon na under custody na pitong pulis po at iniimbestigahan whether or not may kinalaman po sila dito sa nangyaring pamamaril po kay Ginoong Espinosa,” PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said at a press briefing.

(We now have seven cops under custody and are being investigated whether or not they have any involvement in the shooting of Mr. Espinosa.)

Fajardo said the cops were found inside a compound where the suspected getaway vehicle proceeded amid a hot pursuit operation.

“Nagsagawa po tayo ng pursuit operation dahil may isa po tayong motor vehicle in interest, isa pong Montero, na diumano umalis po kaagad doon sa site noong mangyari po yung insidente,” Fajardo said.

(We conducted a pursuit operation because we had a motor vehicle of interest, a Montero, which allegedly left the site immediately after the incident.)

“Nasundan po ito kaagad. Pagpasok po ng compound may naabutan po doon na mga pulis po,” she added.

(It was immediately followed. Upon entering the compound, police officers were seen there.)

The seven cops, who are assigned at Ormoc City Police Station, were wearing civilian clothing, according to Fajardo. Two of them are officials while the five others are non-commissioned officers.

Two vehicles were seen in the compound. Several guns were also discovered in the vehicles.

Around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Espinosa was at a campaign event waiting for his turn to speak when an unidentified man shot him. He sustained a wound on the right shoulder.

Fajardo said there is a possibility that a sniper was behind the shooting of Espinosa.

“Doon sa mismong area kung saan nangyari ay wala namang lumapit sa kanya para barilin siya…Ang sabi ni Regional Director possibly sniper kasi medyo malayo yung posibleng pinagpuwestuhan,” she said.

(In the area where it happened, no one came near him to shoot him...The Regional Director said it was possibly a sniper because the possible location of the gunman was quite far away.)

Around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Espinosa was at a campaign event waiting for his turn to speak when an unidentified man hiding in the ceiling of the stage shot him from behind using an undetermined firearm. He sustained a wound on the right shoulder.

In late 2016, Espinosa admitted before a Senate inquiry that he was involved in the illegal drug trade.

In 2018, he said in a counter-affidavit before state prosecutors that any statement he made before the Senate did not prove he was a drug lord if there was no evidence drug evidence.

The Baybay, Leyte court in June 2024 dismissed a drug case filed against him.

Espinosa is still facing charges of money laundering before a Pasay court and two cases for illegal possession of dangerous drugs and illegal possession of firearms, which the Court of Appeals earlier ordered reopened. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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