The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights is eager to find out who masterminded the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa inside a provincial jail, and only his son, Kerwin Espinosa can provide the answer, Senator Richard Gordon said yesterday.
Espinosa has been invited to the committee’s next hearing on Wednesday, after arriving from Abu Dhabi last Friday where he was arrested.
Gordon, the committee chairman, said the Senate wants to know if the mayor was killed because of what he wrote on his affidavit. Espinosa is said to have listed high-profile personalities involved in the drug trade in a “blue book.”
The list is supposed to include Senator Leila de Lima, who allegedly received P8 million from the Espinosas as contribution to her senatorial campaign last May.
Kerwin has said he believes his father was a victim of a rubout.
“We will now find out who was behind the killing. We will know that. Everyone is now a suspect,” said Gordon in a DZBB interview.
He said it is too soon to say if Kerwin will be a reliable witness at the hearing.
“It would be more credible if he is the most guilty and he testifies, but still his testimony should be corroborated,” Gordon said.
“The best part would be if he corroborates his father’s statements, then he would make the testimony of the dead stronger,” he said.
In a separate radio interview, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who visited Kerwin after the latter arrived in Manila, said the young Espinosa confided “shocking” revelations to him about the drug trade.
“I won’t mention what he said. Anyway it would be in his affidavit. Maybe you can just refer to his affidavit,” Pacquiao said.
He said Kerwin did not admit to being a drug lord “but he admitted that the family was dealing in drugs.”
Kerwin is ready to reveal everything he knows about the drug trade, Pacquiao said.
Gordon said it is up to de Lima if she still wants to take part in Wednesday’s committee hearing.
“She’s still a senator. It’s a personal decision on her part (but) it’s dangerous ground. Very dangerous ground on her part if she does,” Gordon said.
De Lima had chaired the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights panel until she was ousted by her colleagues after holding a few hearings on the spate of extrajudicial killings that followed the Duterte administration’s intensive war on drugs.
Gordon replaced her as committee chairman.
De Lima is facing charges after being implicated in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) when she was Justice Secretary.
The post Senate Eager to Hear Kerwin’s Testimony; Pacquiao Hints at Shocking Revelations appeared first on Manila Bulletin.
Share It To Your Friends!
Loading...