Kerwin Espinosa asks court for time to find new counsel

A member of the Witness Protection Program-Intelligence Service Operations Group (WPP-ISOG) places protective helmet on Kerwin Espinosa who attended the hearing for his drug case at the Manila RTC. The hearing was reset since no one was representing Kerwin during the court proceeding. His lawyer was killed last Feb. 19, in Cebu. INQUIRER.net / Tetch Torres-Tupas

Self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa on Friday asked Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 26 Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. to give him more time to find a new lawyer following the death of his counsel, Atty. Jonah John Ungab early this week.

Ungab was shot to death after attending the promulgation of a case against Kerwin Espinosa in Cebu.

READ: Kerwin Espinosa’s lawyer killed in Cebu City ambush

The prosecution opposed the request of Kerwin saying Ungab was part of the law firm representing Kerwin and the law firm has yet to withdraw from representing Kerwin.

“Humihingi po ako ng dispensa dun sa sinasabi ni fiscal na may mga lawyer po ako na hindi nakadalo ngayon. Hindi po ganon ka simple yon,” Kerwin told the court. He also gave the assurance that he will try to find a new lawyer the soonest possible time.

(I am asking for indulgence in what the prosecutor is saying that I already lawyers who did not attend the hearing today. It’s not that simple.)

Ungab was killed last Feb. 19 after attending the promulgation of a case against the young Espinosa. Kerwin was sentenced to a one year prison term for violating the 2010 election gun ban but acquitted of illegal possession of firearms.

Ungab is the second lawyer of the Espinosas to be killed. On Aug. 23, 2016, Rogelio Bato Jr. was shot dead by men riding a white pick-up vehicle and a motorcycle in Tacloban City, Leyte. /jpv

WATCH:

Self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa explains in court why he need to find a new lawyer. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/HW99Kq7gXM

— tetch torres-tupas (@T2TupasINQ) February 23, 2018