Kerwin wants to see pa but lawyer won’t let him

Kerwin Espinosa

CEBU CITY—Suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa may not be able to see his father to pay his last respects.

Kerwin’s lawyer, Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab of Ronda town in Cebu province, has discouraged him from going home to Leyte province to attend the burial of his father, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., on Dec. 6.

“He would want to see his father for the last time, but it’s just too risky for him,” said Ungab.

Kerwin is under the custody of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame in Quezon City since he was extradited from Abu Dhabi last week.

Mayor Espinosa was killed in what operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Eastern Visayas described as a shootout inside his cell at the subprovincial jail in Baybay City on Nov. 5.

The slain mayor had executed an affidavit linking 226 government, military, police and judicial personnel to the widespread illegal drug trade of his son.

But during the Senate inquiry that looked into the death of Espinosa, Kerwin disowned his father’s affidavit, saying the mayor was not involved in his operation.

He also cleared local officials, including Ungab, whose names appeared in his father’s affidavit.

Kerwin said Ungab was not involved in the illegal drug trade and was acting only as his legal counsel.

Ungab said Kerwin may suffer the fate of his father after Kerwin revealed details about his operations and implicating Sen. Leila de Lima and several police officers.

“We do not know who to trust. That is why we really wanted to ensure his safety,” said Ungab.

“There are suggestions for us to let the National Bureau of Investigation secure him, although we also think Camp Crame is okay,” he said.