Espenido to return to Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY – Controversial police officer Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido is going back to Eastern Visayas, two years after his transfer outside the region.

Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, police director for Eastern Visayas, said he received a directive from their national headquarters informing him about Espenido’s reassignment to Region 8.

Carlos said he didn’t know Espenido’s specific new assignment.

“We will wait for the directive. If it’s at my level, then I will make a decision where I can place him where he can best serve the region. I will see where he will best fit, looking at his background,” he said.

Asked what could be the reason behind Espenido’s return to Eastern Visayas, Carlos said a police officer could be sent anywhere and was expected to carry out his duties well.

Espenido was police chief of Albuera town in Leyte where he was responsible for dismantling the illegal drug operations of the region’s biggest drug syndicate ran by Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., whose father, Rolando Espinosa Sr., was then mayor.

After he was transferred to Albuera on July 18, 2016, Espenido ran after the members of the drug group, forcing the elder Espinosa to surrender to the police and Kerwin to flee the country.

The mayor was jailed and later killed at the Leyte sub-provincial jail in Baybay City on Nov. 5, 2016, reportedly in an alleged shootout with members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Kerwin was eventually arrested in Abu Dhabi and repatriated to the country.

Espenido was relieved and transferred to Ozamiz City on Dec. 8, 2016, where he led a bloody operation about six months later which resulted in the death of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog on July 30, 2017.

Espenido is the chief of police of Virac, Catanduanes.