POLICE will first visit Leyte town mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin at their residence and convince them to surrender before the 24-hour deadline President Duterte had given them expires.
“The Philippine National Police will follow the instructions of the Commander in Chief. We will apply Oplan Tokhang and ask the subject persons to surrender as demanded by the President,” the PNP said in a statement on Monday evening.
“If they resist and place the public and the lives of our peace officers in danger, then the PNP will (have to) defend themselves to protect the public,” it added.
Earlier, Duterte demanded the Espinosas to surrender to the authorities within 24 hours for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
“Otherwise, an order of shoot on sight will be given if they resist and endanger the lives of arresting police officers,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
Eastern Visayas Police regional director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, meanwhile, confirmed that the Mayor’s son is one of the drug suspects considered as “high-value targets” of the police.
Beltejar also revealed that Kerwin was known to have been involved in illegal drug activities but because of his father’s “protection,” he always manages to elude arrest.
Last Thursday, two bodyguards and three employees of Mayor Rolando were arrested during a buy-bust operation where the police seized at least P1.9 million worth of shabu.
Four other suspects managed to escape after they sought refuge in the house of Kerwin Espinosa.