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Espinosa reveals names of protectors in affidavit 

Suspected drug lord Rolando ‘Kerwin’ Espinosa has identified government officials and police officers who act as protectors of illegal narcotic dealers in the Visayas.

He is expected to reveal the complete list in a senate inquiry on November 23, Gulf News quoted a lawyer as saying.

In his affidavit given to the police, Espinosa has reportedly identified elected government officials and police officers who have been protecting drug lords in Visayas, central Philippines,” attorney Leilani Villarino said on Saturday.

“He narrated all he knew, including the personalities he had transactions with since the time he started operating (as a drug lord) up to the time he left the Philippines (in March 2016),” Villarino reportedly said. “He also validated the two affidavits that were executed by his daddy (Rolando Espinosa Sr, mayor of Albuera, Leyte) last October.”

Not willing to give more details, Villarino reportedly said the young Espinosa will submit his list of narco-politicians and narco-policemen during a senate inquiry on November 23.

“He was not under duress when he executed his affidavits (right after his arrival from Abu Dhabi on November 18). The Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (of the Philippine National Police) took a video-audio recording of the whole procedure, for transparency,” Villarino said. “Espinosa executed the affidavits with or without the help of the government’s witness protection program. If he qualifies to be enrolled under the program, so much the better for him.”

President Rodrigo Duterte had identified the two Espinosas as drug lords in charge of central Philippines. At that time, the elder Espinosa was jailed after he surrendered and admitted that his son was a drug lord. But the younger Espinosa managed to escape and hide abroad, the report said.

Police officers escorted Espinosa when he arrived from Abu Dhabi on November 18. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) gave information to the Interpol and the Abu Dhabi Police which resulted in Espinosa’s arrest on October 17, said the news portal.

The elder Espinosa was killed in an alleged shoot-out with policemen who were to serve him a warrant of arrest in his jail in Leyte’s Baybay on November 5.

The National Bureau of Investigation and the senate are investigating the incident., reported Gulf News.

Foreign and local rights groups have criticized Duterte for his campaign against illegal drug trade which has killed more than 4,000 since July. More than half of the incidents were blamed on drug syndicates, the police reportedly said.

Illegal drug trade had reached $8.4 billion a year in the Philippines in 2013, GN reported.

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