Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson —LYN RILLON/INQUIRER
How Kerwin Espinosa was introduced to Ronnie Dayan and the conflicting dates in their statements were just among the “loose ends” Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson noticed during the Senate hearing on Wednesday.
Lacson, who chairs the committee on public order and dangerous drugs that launched a probe on the death of Albuera, Leyte, Mayor Rolando Espinosa, said there were many loopholes in the testimony of the mayor’s son Kerwin that needed closure, particularly on his claim that Dayan collected drug money for Sen. Leila de Lima’s election campaign.
“‘Yung aspeto lang na how he got to contact Dayan, ’yon ang nakita kong loose end, dahil nga kung in-admit ni Espinido na he indeed introduced Dayan to him then tied up ’yung loose ends pero may denial, so sino talaga, sino ang contact ni Dayan at papaano?” Lacson said in an ambush interview after the 10-hour inquiry and referring to Albuera police head Chief Insp. Jovie Espinido.
“Pinakilala ni Espinido sa kanya (Kerwin) si Dayan, I cannot imagine. Gusto kong malaman paano nakilala ni Espinido si Dayan, so as of now if you will ask me anong assessment ko, may mga doubts sa veracity ng testimonies ni Kerwin,” Lacson said.
In the affidavit he read before the Senate, Kerwin said Espinido introduced him to Dayan sometime in August 2015. Espinido denied knowing Dayan.
READ: Kerwin: Ronnie Dayan transacted for De Lima
Lacson, a former national police chief, also noted the inconsistencies in the statements of Kerwin and Dayan about the dates of their transaction.
Dayan said he received money from Kerwin in behalf of De Lima five times in 2014 before he resigned as De Lima’s aide in the same year.
“We saw Dayan make a statement last night and even without hearing Espinosa, sinabi naman talaga niya na confirmed niya na on several occasions may transaction sila. ’Yun lang, ‘yung year nagkakaiba—2014 and 2015. So ‘yun ang sinasabi kong may mga pagkakaiba na,” Lacson said.
“Kung objectively titignan mo, hindi talaga solid as how Kerwin presented it,” he added.