‘These are serious charges that the two senators and ex-President Duterte will have to explain, as physical evidence exists…’
POLICE Col. Jovie Espenido used to be the face of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody and brutal war against drugs, one who would not flinch as bodies of victims fell in the streets, in back alleys of poor sections of urban areas, where the drug trade was robust then, as it is now. Twice, Espenido was assigned to clean up drug-ruled towns – Albuera, Leyte of the Espinosas and Ozamiz City of the Parojinogs.
At the hearing of the House of Representatives’ quad committee the other day, Espenido exploded bombastic revelations about his activities and those of his police following direct orders allegedly from Sen. Ronaldo “Bato” dela Rosa, then chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), and President Duterte himself.
Espenido told the lawmakers that Dela Rosa ordered him to liquidate drug personalities but supposedly protected drug lords like the late Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin Espinosa. The police officer decided to tell all in the House hearing as he had become disillusioned with the PNP because he had offered his life many times just to do his duty but was last in line in the promotions process and was even a victim of character smearing,.
The reward system for each kill was true, he said, at P20,000 for every drug pusher killed, adding the money was downloaded by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, then senior executive assistant of Duterte. The slush fund allegedly managed then by Go came from official intelligence funds of the President, and increased by funds from money from Chinese-run Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) were purportedly “funneled downward” from Go’s level to bankroll the operation.
“From my experience, I can say that the PNP is the biggest crime group in this country. I did my job faithfully, but I could not be promoted because I am always on some derogatory list,” Espenido said in an affidavit which he read before members of the quad comm.
Espenido, who has been on floating status since April, told the four House committees chaired by Surigao Rep. Robert Ace Barbers that upon Duterte’s assumption to office in 2016, Dela Rosa told him to rid Albuera town of illegal drugs, which he said meant “neutralizing” drug personalities like the Espinosas. The police officer knew then that in police parlance, “neutralizing” means killing, since the fight against illegal drugs during that time condoned all means to achieve the mission, including illegal ones.
Colonel Espenido also learned that top PNP officials were receiving money from the Espinosas, a fact admitted to him by Mayor Rolando Espinosa and his accountant Virbeca Diano. He even took hold of the logbook, copies of cleared checks and affidavits of this as part of the case buildup, submitting these to Police Brig. Gen. Franco Simburio, PNP provincial director of Leyte, but nothing happened after this.
Espenido also said Mayor Espinosa alleged that police payouts were being made to allow unhampered drug operations in Region 8 including parts of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, and that he did not allow the deletion from the book of names of policemen who were on the take.
These are serious charges that the two senators and ex-President Duterte will have to explain, as physical evidence exists – cleared checks, logbook, ledgers, etc.– tending to confirm the allegations made by Police Colonel Espenido.
