SUSPECTED Filipino drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr, the son of the slain mayor who was killed in a jail cell shootout with police on Nov 5, was extradited to his home country early Friday from Abu Dhabi where he was in hiding for several months.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to personally fetch Espinosa and formally mark the handover of the fugitive from his middle eastern counterpart.
With his return to the Philippines, Kerwin now fears for his life, due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing bloody war on drugs. De La Rosa, however, assured the suspect of his safety as he is expected to give his testimony on the alleged narco-politicians he had purportedly bankrolled during the May 2016 polls.
“You won’t die. I’m here. I got your back,” De La Rosa told Espinosa during a conversation at the airport, as reported by ABS-CBN News.
Video from the PNP: Dela Rosa receives Kerwin Espinosa inside the plane pic.twitter.com/EkR6zQHcBQ
— Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) November 17, 2016
The police chief said several unnamed parties wanted Espinosa dead as he was a threat to many involved in the country’s notorious drug trade.
“Sometimes, there are times that you do not know who you can trust. The drug syndicate, it’s very deep. You do not know who your friends are, your enemies in this war, ” De La Rosa said.
SEE ALSO: Philippines: Alleged drug boss Kerwin Espinosa nabbed in Abu Dhabi, cops say
He said Espinosa had admitted to funding politicians who ran for office during the country’s general election this year, and will reveal the names of those involved in the drug trade.
“He (admitted) that he gave them support. He gave them money (for their campaigns),” De La Rosa said during a press conference early Friday.
Before he left for the Philippines, Kerwin told former whistleblower Sandra Cam that he feared police would kill him as they did with his father Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. when he arrives in Manila.
Espinosa Sr’s and a fellow inmate were shot dead in an apparent firefight with police in the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City.
However, many observers, including Albuera police chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, said they were unconvinced that Espinosa Sr. had smuggled contraband items, including firearms into the jail cell where he was held for several weeks after being arrested in October.
In casting doubt, Espenido said this was because the mayor had filed an affidavit naming public officials who received kickbacks from him and his son.
During the press conference early Friday, the younger Espinosa pleaded with Duterte to spare his life and to allow him to turn over a new leaf.
“I want to ask forgiveness to our president for whatever I have done in the past. I hope he gives me a chance to turn my life around,” he said, as quoted by ABS-CBN News.
In August, Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte, was detained after authorities accused him of protecting his son from police arrest. He was released days later but rearrested in October on similar charges.
SEE ALSO: Philippines: Foul play suspected in drug suspect mayor Espinosa’s death, say officials
The mayor, who surrendered to police, admitted that Kerwin had been manufacturing and trafficking shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from their base in Albuera.
On Aug 3, six armed bodyguards of the mayor were shot dead in a clash with police commandos who reportedly launched a manhunt for Espinosa.
Before arriving in Abu Dhabi, Espinosa was said to have left the Philippines for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 21. The suspect also reportedly went to Hong Kong on June 1 after undergoing facial plastic surgery, immigration authorities said.
The younger Espinosa’s arrest was made after anti-narcotics operatives flew to the middle-eastern country to search for the highly-wanted suspect.
Duterte’s controversial crackdown on the narcotics trade has so far claimed the lives of over 3,500 people, mostly suspected drug dealers, and forced the surrender of others amounting in the tens of thousands, within the first 100 days of him taking office.
The president, on numerous occasions, had also publicly named suspected narco-politicians and threatened to have them killed unless they surrendered to police.
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