Arraignment of Kerwin, et al. reset; lawyers filing MR

The arraignment of confessed drug kingpin Kerwin Espinosa and his coaccused has been rescheduled by the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) to Aug. 29.

Judge Gina Bibat-Palamos of Makati RTC Branch 64 reset the arraignment, which was supposed to be held on Thursday at New Bilibid Prison (NBP), after defense lawyers expressed their plan to file a motion for reconsideration on the Department of Justice (DOJ) resolution that found probable cause to charge their clients.

Espinosa stands accused of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade, along with convicted drug lord Peter Co, Marcelo Adorco, Lovely Impal, Ruel Malindangan and several other unidentified suspects.

The DOJ resolution was issued last week by a second panel of prosecutors that was formed after the complaint was dismissed by the original panel in December last year.

The dismissal, which only became public in March, drew widespread outrage and was seen as one of the factors leading to the resignation of then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II the following month. —Matthew Reysio-Cruz