Kerwin’s men accuse cop chief of fabricating affidavits

Albuera, Leyte — Three alleged trusted men of suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa retracted their statements that identified the local and police officials who protected the illegal operations of their boss.

Galo Bobares, Max Miro and Brian Zaldivar instead accused Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido, Albuera police chief, and a female police officer of fabricating affidavits.

Incidentally, their new affidavits were executed before lawyer Adelito Solibaga Jr., who represented Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez during the May elections.

Gomez was one of the local officials linked by Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera to the illegal drug operation of his son, Kerwin – a claim strongly denied by the actor-turned-mayor.

The new affidavit was dated Nov. 10, five days after Espinosa was gunned down inside his detention cell at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte.

Solibaga said the previous affidavits of Bobares, Miro and Zaldivar were executed under duress and dictated by Espenido and PO3 Hydie Yutrago.

“They confirmed that the affidavits were ready-made when they were told to sign the same before a lawyer in Tacloban (City in Leyte),” he said.

The witnesses said the “blue book, pink book or notebook” that reportedly contained the names of Kerwin’s protectors were just made by Yutrago.

“In their affidavits executed before me, they recanted some of their statements in their previous affidavits, especially pertaining to those innocent government officials, media and police officers,” Solibaga said.

While they identified some of those who coddled Kerwin, the three witnesses said most of the names impleaded in the illegal drugs trade of Eastern Visayas’ top drug personality came from Espenido and Yutrago.

The three were also willing to testify that the six alleged bodyguards and employees of Mayor Espinosa were deliberately killed by police operatives inside the chief executive’s house in Albuera last August.

The shabu purportedly confiscated inside Mayor Espinosa’s house, they said, was “tawas.”

Espenido said he was willing to face any investigation.

“My conscience is clear,” he said.

“I can answer those accusations wherever at any time of the day or night. There’s a God who knows the truth,” he told the Inquirer over the phone.
Espenido said he never falsified the affidavits of witnesses who earlier approached him to identify those who coddled Kerwin’s illegal operations.

“They are already mature enough to be coerced into signing an affidavit. They must remember that they voluntarily approached me and manifested their intent to execute those affidavits,” he said.

Espenido said he believed that Gomez was behind the decision of three witnesses to accuse him of fabricating their affidavits.

In his affidavit, Bobares said he appeared before Espenido on Sept. 6 to clear his name after he was accused of killing a certain Jabon in Albuera.

He said he was asked by Espenido if he could help the police identify those who received payola from Kerwin.

Bobares said he identified three policemen who received allowances from Kerwin: a certain Manalo and Vaño, members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Eastern Visayas (CIDG-8); and one Jabines, the former chief of the Albuera Police.

Miro, who surrendered to Espenido, identified six policemen who were allegedly involved in Kerwin’s illegal drugs trade: SPO1 Erwin Manalo of CIDG, PO2 Renato Miketpitket, PO2 Wenceslao Lomaquin, Senior Insp. Eufracio Javines, Chief Insp. Jesus Son, and Senior Insp. Bernie Magamay.

While they were narrating their statements to Yutrago, the witnesses said the female police officer also wrote down some names on a notebook and bond paper.

“I was told that she would add 10 more names on the list. I just said yes because I was afraid especially that I fear for my life,” Zaldivar said.