‘Pushers out to frame cop’

ESPINOSA

The police officer accused of being one of the protectors of alleged drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. has at least one person in his corner who believes in his innocence.

Senior Insp. Porferio Gabuya, Talamban police precinct chief, said Luage, Kerwin and two drug pushers used to be neighbors in Hippodromo.

Gabuya said he had no knowledge on the whereabouts of the drug lord’s two cohorts.

“I believe that when Kerwin’s drug case was dismissed by the Court of Appeals (in 2009 or 2010) and when Kerwin left Cebu, these two went with him. These two fear returning to Cebu already, and they blamed Luage for it,” Gabuya said.

Gabuya referred to the two drug pushers that Luage arrested in a drug bust in Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City, in 2010 when Luage was still assigned at the City Intelligence Branch.

Gabuya assigned Luage as team leader of the Talamban police precinct’s antidrug unit.

When asked about the names of these two drug pushers, Luage declined, saying he will name them at the proper time.

Luage was one of the 10 officers facing an administrative complaint filed by Albuera town police chief Senior Insp. Jovie Espenido at the PNP’s National Internal Affairs Service last Oct. 27.

Espinido said these officers acted as Kerwin’s protectors.

Also identified as Kerwin’s alleged protector was Senior Supt. Jose Macanas, former Cebu provincial police chief.

Luage said the two drug pushers may be holding a grudge against him for their arrest. Luage served at the CIB from 2006 to 2010.

Gabuya said Luage and Espenido were batchmates who joined the police force in 1996.

Gabuya said Espenido himself was surprised to learn about Luage’s alleged involvement with Kerwin.

Luage had been placed on floating status pending the results of the investigation on him.

Gabuya said the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) may release the results of the investigation sometime this month.