DOJ ends protection for confessed drug lord

Kerwin Espinosa INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dropped confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa from its witness protection program over numerous violations he supposedly committed while detained at the National Bureau of Investigation, including smuggling, extortion and making plans to escape.

The DOJ said Espinosa’s wife and dependents had also been dropped from the program.In a letter on Jan. 31, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told Espinosa that his coverage under the witness protection, security and benefit program had been terminated “effective immediately” due to his “continued commitment of various violations inside the detention facility.”

Last strawAmong these were harassing other inmates, smuggling contraband, drinking liquor and extorting money from other inmates who feared getting transferred to another detention facility.

He was also accused of violating curfew hours and visiting the cells of other inmates despite repeated warnings, communicating with other inmates with drug cases, and possessing mobile phones and bladed weapons that were banned inside the facility.

The last straw was when the NBI discovered on Jan. 13 that Espinosa and two other inmates were making plans to escape.

Four days later, the NBI formally recommended to the DOJ to terminate the suspected drug lord’s witness protection coverage.The NBI also asked that Espinosa be transferred to another detention facility but the DOJ said this would be decided by courts.

A confessed drug lord, Espinosa has been under the NBI’s custody since December 2016 while he is undergoing trial for several drug cases.

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