Espinosa a ‘big loss’ to unmasking officials in drugs — exec

The killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte, is a “big loss” to the government’s efforts to unmask public officials behind the narcotics trade in the country, a Malacañang official said Sunday.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar declined to comment on insinuations that Espinosa’s killing inside his prison cell in Baybay City, Leyte province, was a case of summary execution by the police.

READ: Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa killed in ‘firefight’ inside jail | Lacson: Mayor Espinosa’s slay a ‘clear case of extrajudicial killing’

He said the Palace would wait for the results of a separate investigation ordered by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa before issuing any statement.

Nonetheless, he said Espinosa’s death was a setback to the Duterte administration’s attempt to run after senior government officials linked to the illegal drugs business.

“Personally, I’m puzzled because we all know that Espinosa would have greatly helped the government in looking for the personalities involved in illegal drugs,” Andanar told state-run radio station dzRB.

“For me, Mayor Espinosa’s death is a big loss to the government,” he added.

According to Andanar, President Duterte has been briefed of the mayor’s death, but could not say the Chief Executive’s reaction on the incident.

Duterte had publicly named Espinosa and his son Kerwin, who is held in prison in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, as the biggest drug lords in the Visayas region.

This prompted the mayor to turn himself in to Dela Rosa at Camp Crame where he stayed for several days.

Espinosa was killed on Saturday when he purportedly engaged police in a firefight when the lawmen reportedly tried to search his cell at a Leyte sub-provincial jail. CBB/rga