De Lima thinks Espenido lost his ‘usefulness’ with inclusion in Duterte drug list

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Leila de Lima thinks the inclusion of police Lt. Jovie Espenido in the drug list of President Rodrigo Duterte is a sign that the controversial police officer has either has lost his value to the administration or has become a threat to the government.

According to De Lima, who is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center for drug-related charges, it is ironic that Espenido — the drug war’s poster boy — is in Duterte’s list of police officers linked to the illegal drug trade.

“Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido now in Duterte’s drug list? Ironically amazing!” the lady senator said in a statement.

“Espenido must know a lot to make him a target himself. Has he lost his usefulness? Or is he now a threat to his top boss because of what he (Espenido) knows?” she asked.

Previously, sources who had information on the list claimed that Espenido was among the 357 police officers and officials being probed for alleged links to the drug trade.  Malacañang officials said that they will verify the officer’s inclusion in the list.

READ: ‘Espenido included in drugs watchlist’

READ: Palace to validate alleged inclusion of Espenido in Duterte drug list

Espenido declined to comment on the issue, saying that he would only speak after PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa confirms it.

READ: Controversial cop Espenido distances self from alleged inclusion in drugs watchlist

Espenido turned controversial after leading two raids on Albuera in Leyte and Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental.  In those raids,  then Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and Ozamis Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog were killed.

Those incidents prompted Duterte to assign Espenido to Bacolod City, where the drug trade is allegedly prevalent.

According to De Lima, Espenido is privy to a lot of information about the administration’s bloody war against illegal drugs — including the existence of supposed lies about her involvement in the drug trade.

De Lima was arrested in 2017, on accusations of protecting the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison, while serving as the justice secretary.

The senator, however, claimed it was just a case of political vendetta because she led investigations on Duterte’s drug war on the Senate, and probes on human rights violations when the President was still Davao City mayor.

“I’m certain that Espenido also knows a lot about the lies thrown at me, particularly my alleged links to Kerwin Espinosa,” De Lima explained.

“He knows that I’m not and was never a protector of the latter self-confessed drug lord; that I was never in the so-called “blue book” or “pink book”, or whatever it is, of alleged Espinosa protectors or beneficiaries of his illegal drug trade; and that he and Espinosa both lied when they claimed otherwise in the course of the Senate hearings,” she added.

Edited by MUF

tags:  Lt. Jovie Espenido, drug list, President Rodrigo Duterte, Ozamiz City, Albuera, Rolando Espinosa, Reynaldo Parojinog,

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