Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO / CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines — Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido was not included in the government’s drug watchlist when Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Dela Rosa, who served as the PNP chief from July 2016 until April 2018, said on Thursday that he would not have appointed Espenido as chief of police of Albuera and Ozamis City if he was linked to illegal drugs.
“Hindi ko siya nakita sa panahon ko nun. Otherwise hindi ko siya i-appoint [as Albuera police] chief. Later pinadala ko sa Ozamis. Wala akong nakitang ganoong klaseng report,” he told reporters in an interview at Camp Crame.
(I did not see him on the list during my time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have appointed him in Albuera and in Ozamis. I did not see any report linking him to drugs.)
Espenido is reportedly among the 356 cops named in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drugs watchlist. This was confirmed by no less than Interior Secretary Eduardo Año himself.
Año said that the drugs watchlist was formed in 2016 after the consolidation of information from different agencies such as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) among others.
READ: DILG confirms drug war enforcer Espenido on Duterte narcolist
Dela Rosa surmised that the report on Espenido’s alleged link to illegal drugs came about after the incident where then Albuera town mayor Rolando Espinosa Jr. was shot dead in his cell by policemen who claimed they were serving a search warrant.
It is most likely that police officers were the source of the information, the senator added.
“Most likely. May tinamaan siya doon na mga siraulong pulis (He probably butted heads with some lunatic police),” he said.
READ: Año: Espenido’s stint in fighting illegal drugs will help clear him from drug list
The PNP should investigate the information that linked Espenido to illegal drugs, especially the police officer who made the report.
“Dapat ungkatin ng PNP kung sino ang gumawa ng report na yan. Most likely sindikato na pulis ang gumawa non. Dapat i-follow up ng PNP yan,” he said.
(The PNP should investigate the cop who made the report, most likely, police belonging to a syndicate made that. The PNP should follow up on that.)