Gov’t witness says order to sell shabu not from Kerwin
Photo by Tetch Torres-Tupas/INQUIRER.net
Government witness Marcelo Odorco has admitted that it was not Kerwin Espinosa who ordered him to sell shabu when he was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Leyte two years ago.
In his testimony before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Friday, Odorco, former driver/bodyguard of Espinosa, instead identified Jose Antipuesto as the one who ordered him to sell the illegal drugs.
Antipuesto, Kerwin’s childhood friend, was arrested together with Odorco in 2016.
But Odorco said that while it was Antipuesto who ordered him to sell the shabu, he heard Kerwin instruct Antipuesto to sell the illegal drugs via a mobile phone conversation.
“Antipuesto was ordered to sell [the shabu] by means of telephone,” Atty. Raymond Fortun asked Odorco to which he said “yes.”
Odorco said Espinosa called Antipuesto’s phone to give the instruction but he can no longer recall the exact date and time. He said all he can recall, aside from the phone conversation, was that Espinosa was in Abu Dhabi when he called Antipuesto.
“Any proof this phone conversation took place,” Fortun asked Odorco.
“Si Antipuesto, Sir, sya tinawagan,” Odorco replied,
“So you want this court to rely purely on your statement about phone conversation and instruction to sell,” Fortun said in a follow-up questioning of Odorco, who consequently replied that he has no other evidence.
Last January, Antipuesto recanted his testimony against Espinosa saying he was forced by the police to sign his affidavit against his childhood friend.
“Tinakot lang po ako,” he said.
READ: Espinosa, Espenido face-off at Manila court in drug case trial
Espinosa is facing an illegal drugs trading case as well as illegal possession of firearms and explosives case.
The charges were originally heard at Branch 14 of Baybay, Leyte RTC but the Supreme Court has ordered the lawsuits transferred to Metro Manila based on the request of the prosecution and defense camps for security reasons. /kga
