Kerwin Espinosa during House probe on extra judicial killings.
SUSPECTED drug lord Kerwin Espinosa assured the House Quad Committee that his testimony on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs was not politically motivated, despite filing his candidacy for mayor of Albuera, Leyte.
Espinosa—whose father, the late Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, was killed in police custody in 2016 over alleged drug involvement—said his priority is to seek justice and not to advance his political ambitions.
“Hustisya po para sa papa ko, kaya kong talikuran ‘yang pulitika,” Espinosa said in response to a question propounded by Quad Committee co-chair Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez.
Espinosa expressed his willingness to withdraw his candidacy to focus on seeking justice for his father.
Testifying before the Quad Committee, Espinosa recounted his family’s ordeal as victims of drug war-related EJKs during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
He also detailed how then-Philippine National Police chief, now Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, pressured him in 2016 to admit involvement in the drug trade and implicate high-profile figures, including former Sen. Leila de Lima and businessman Peter Lim.
Fernandez questioned Espinosa’s motives for coming forward, given his recent filing of a certificate of candidacy for mayor.
“Hindi mo kami masisisi kung mag-iisip kami na may halong pulitika ang ginagawa mo. But if you withdraw, baka ako mismo maniwala sa sinasabi mo,” Fernandez said.
Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun also raised concerns about the timing of Espinosa’s testimony, given the election season.
“Bakit niyo po naisipan na ngayon lumabas at magsabi ng katotohanan lalo na ngayong panahon ng eleksyon? Baka isipin na ginagawa niyo ito para sa election campaign o media mileage,” Khonghun said.
Espinosa clarified that his decision to come forward was driven by a pursuit of justice, not politics, adding that he was inspired by other EJK victims who had spoken out.
“Ginagawa ko ‘to na lumutang dito sa Quad Comm kasi napanood ko, marami nang lumutang na mga biktima sa EJK na marami nang naglakas na loob na isiniwalat ang mga hinanaing nila sa pangyayari ng patayan sa ating bansa sa EJK,” he pointed out.
“‘Yun ang nag-udyok sa akin kung bakit ako lumutang dito sa Quad Comm, walang halong pulitika po ito,” he added
