Kerwin’s lawyer, student shot dead

TACLOBAN CITY―A lawyer of suspected drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. and his 15-year-old companion were killed on Tuesday afternoon by unidentified men who fired at their pickup truck in Barangay Lumbang II this city.

Rogelio Bato Jr., 48, of V & G Subdivision here, and Angelika Bonita, of Barangay 75, were headed to Robinsons Mall about 2:20 p.m. when they were attacked by gunmen on board a white pickup truck and a motorcycle.

Police have yet to determine if the ambush was related to the drug cases being handled by Bato, including those involving Espinosa and other suspected drug pushers, like Ricardo Rondina and his cousin, Ferdinand Rondina.

“We cannot establish the motive and the suspects but we will do everything we can to establish the motive and who are the suspects,” said Senior Supt. Rolando Bade, Tacloban police director.

The gunmen fired M-16 rifles and .45-cal. pistols at Bato while he was driving a maroon Toyota pickup truck. The girl, a senior student of Sagkahan National High School, sat beside him.