TACLOBAN CITY- A former vice mayor of Albuera, Norman Mesina, supports suggestion for Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. to resign from his post. Mesina, who served the post from 2013-2016, said it would be better for Espinosa to resign considering that he got involved in the illegal drug activity. Earlier, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and town police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido suggested for Espinosa, 53, to resign from the post he won during the May 9, 2016 elections. “I believe that the suggestion of the chief of police, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido for our mayor to resign from office is a laudable one to prevent more bloodshed,” Mesina said. He added that he felt bad that their town was thrust into national limelight in the negative way. Mesina disclosed that the atmosphere pervading in the entire town of Albuera is that of fear. “Before, people were not afraid to walk in the streets even in the wee hours. However, recently with what happened, people tend not to go out from their houses as early as 8 o clock in the evening,” he said. Espinosa surrendered on August 2 before Police Director General Rolando de la Rosa after he was named by President Rodrigo Duterte to be involved in the illegal drug trade. The police tagged Espinosa and his son, Kerwin, as the region’s number one drug lord. Last August 4, police authorities have engaged alleged armed group of Espinosa at his house in sitio Tinago of Barangay Binulho that resulted to the death of his six men. And on Friday (August 5) Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses assumed the post of mayor after she consulted with the local operations officers, Ida Aquilina Lopez. (LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
