Kerwin Espinosa will return to the Philippines from Abu Dhabi.
The chief of the Philippine National Police confirmed that the suspected Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa will return to the Philippines from Abu Dhabi on Friday.
During a press conference at Camp Crame, Director General Ronald dela Rosa said, “Ang sabi sa akin ni (Senior Supt) Albert Ferro (Anti-Illegal Drugs Group chief) baka mga madaling araw ng Biyernes, mga 2 a.m. or 3 a.m..”
It takes nine hours from Abu Dhabi to Manila.
According to dela Rosa, Ferro told him that there was no problem in the processing of Espinosa’s papers. However, members of Ferro’s team tasked to fetch the drug suspect from a jail in Abu Dhabi have yet to interview him before flying back to the Philippines.
“So far wala daw (problema). Na-interview pa lang. Hindi pa namin nakunan ng affidavit dahil dito na namin kukunan,” Dela Rosa said.
The initial plan of the PNP, according to dela Rosa was to get Espinosa’s affidavit while he is still in Abu Dhabi but there are protocol that prevented the team from doing so.
“Ang initial na balak ay doon kukunan sa Embassy but hindi pala ganun, gagawin nilang protocol, turnover is doon sa eroplano, pagpasok sa pintuan ng eroplano so hindi na makadaan sa Embassy,” he said.
There are some changes on the original plan, because upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Espinosa will be brought directly to the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. He is set to undergo the booking process at the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) office.
According to the PNP, Espinosa will not be allowed to go to his home in Albuera, Leyte.
“Hindi na natin dadalhin sa Albuera, para less ang risk. Hindi nga natin i-present sa court sa Albuera. Kausapin natin ang court doon na i-return ang warrant tapos pabisitahin pa natin, mahirap ‘yun,” he said.
Kerwin is the son of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa who was killed in an alleged between the members of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 8 who served a search warrant inside the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail where he was detained.
