Kerwin Espinosa faces new drug raps for Cebu drug trade

MANILA, Philippines — Self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa is facing a brand new complaint from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), this time, for his alleged illegal drug trade activity in Cebu City.

Aside from Espinosa, named in the complaint are Peter Go Lim, convicted illegal drugs trader Wu Tuan Yuan, alias Peter Co, Lovely Adam Impal, Melvin Gerpacio, Ryan Diaz, and Reynaldo Diaz.

Espinosa is currently under the custody of the NBI, while Co is at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). Impal is detained at the Iligan City Jail, while the others remain at large.

Based on the complaint, the NBI’s Task Force Anti-Illegal Drugs (NBI-TFAID) recommended the prosecution of the seven respondents for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The NBI said Espinosa continued is drug dealing activities while he was detained at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center pending decision on another drug case.

“In 2008, Kerwin started his large scale shabu (crystal meth) trade in Cebu City inside the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) where he was detained pending the decision of his RA 9165 case,” the NBI said in its referral letter signed by former NBI Director Dante Gierran, who retired last Feb. 22.

Citing Espinosa’s own extrajudicial confession, the NBI said the supply of shabu came from Jeffrey Diaz, alias Jaguar, through Ryan Diaz and Reynaldo Diaz, Lim, Impal, and others. Jaguar, considered Central Visayas‘ top drug personality, was killed in 2016.

“Kerwin used cellphones, electronic money transfer, and bank transactions in his drug trade and hired Melvin Gerfacio to distribute shabu and collect payments in Barangay Pasil, Barangay Ermita, Barangay Ponce, Barangay Villagonzalo, and Barangay Lorega-San Miguel, Cebu City,” the NBI said.

Espinosa is facing a separate complaint before the DOJ also for drugs. He also has a string of drug-related charges in different courts.

Edited by EDV