Alleged Visayas drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa on Friday entered a not guilty plea to the charges filed against him before Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 26.
Espinosa, who is the son of the late Albuera Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., is currently facing criminal charges in connection with the illegal drugs recovered from his home in Leyte last year.
According to Atty. Lanie Villarino, Espinosa’s lawyer, the prosecution doesn’t have enough valid reasons to include Kerwin to the defendants since he was not staying in the country when the buy-bust operation took place on July last year.
“Eh ang nakakatawa yung information na sinasali nila si Kerwin. Si Kerwin ay hindi naman subject ng buy-bust (operation) eh. Bakit niyo isasali yung tao? The prosecution made it appear na si Kerwin yung may-ari ng droga. Tapos mga tauhan niya yung ano. He admitted naman na mga tauhan niya yung mga yun pero anong mga tauhan eh wala na siya noon eh,” Villarino explained.
“At the time of the incident, hindi na niya mga tauhan yun. Wala na siyang control doon sa ginagawa ng mga tauhan niya noon because umalis na nga siya ng bansa, I think June pa ata eh… immediately after na-elect si President Duterte,” she added.
WATCH AMBUSH INTERVIEW WITH ATTY. LANIE VILLARINO
The cases started from the drug bust in Kerwin Espinosa’s residence at Sitio Tinago, Binolho village in Albuera on July 28 last year where the authorities seized illegal drugs reportedly worth P1.9 million and assorted firearms. | (Tretch Melarpes/ with reports from Cleizl Pardilla – PTV News)
