Metro Manila, Philippines – Self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa told lawmakers on Friday that then national police chief now Sen. Bato dela Rosa who ordered him to implicate ex-Sen. Leila de Lima in illegal drug trade in 2016.
Espinosa said Dela Rosa ordered him to fabricate stories against De Lima and businessman Peter Lim upon his return from Abu Dhabi in November 2016. “At bago pa man iyon, pinilit nila ako na umamin na ako ay may kinalaman sa droga. Ito ay sinasabi niya sa akin habang papunta ako ng Crame. Pagdating namin doon ay may media at nagpresscon ang mga pulis at sinali nila ako. Doon ko sinabi ang statement na humihingi ako ng tawad sa Presidente, at nangako na ako ay magbabago pag binigyan pa ng isa pang pagkakataon,” Espinosa said in his sworn testimony submitted to the House quad committee on Oct. 11.[Translation: And even before that, they forced me to admit that I was involved with drugs. He was telling me this while we were on our way to Crame. When we got there, there was media, and the police held a press conference and included me. There, I made a statement asking for forgiveness from the president and promised that I would change if given another chance.]Espinosa said implicating De Lima and other personalities had the blessing of former President Rodrigo Duterte.He said he obeyed for fear of suffering the same fate as his father, former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was killed in prison in November 2016.“Sabi ni Bato. ‘Kerwin, para magkainitindihan tayo para walang mangyari sa’yo. Sumunod ka na lang sa plano.’ Nagtanong ako. Anong plano po ba? Sagot ni sir Bato, ‘Iyong plano na idiin si Peter lim at si Leila de Lima na kasali sa droga, supplier si Peter Lim dito sa Pilipinas. At si Leila, protector sa nagbebenta ng droga,’” he said.[Translation: Bato told me. ‘So nothing will happen to you. Just follow the plan’. I asked, ‘What plan is that?’ Sir Bato replied. ‘The plan to implicate Peter Lim and Leila de Lima in drugs; Peter Lim is a supplier here in the Philippines, and Leila is a protector of those selling drugs.]’ ‘8’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘fit-content’ ’embedCode’: ‘
WATCH: Self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espiñosa tells the House quad committee that former PNP chief and reelectionist Sen. Bato dela Rosa pressured him to implicate ex-Sen. Leila de Lima in the illegal drug trade in 2016.
Espiñosa: Sabi ni Bato, "Kerwin para magkaintindihan… pic.twitter.com/wvLGg1Y4mN
— NewsWatch Plus PH (@newswatchplusph) October 11, 2024
