Claimed his father was among the victims
ALBUERA, Leyte– Former drug personality Kerwin Espinosa has announced his “1,000 percent” willingness to testify before the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the controversial war on drugs during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
During a press conference on Saturday, October 5, Espinosa stated that many innocent people, including his father, Rolando Espinosa, lost their lives in the anti-drug campaign.
“I am 1,000 percent willing to appear before the ICC to seek justice for those who were killed in Duterte’s war on drugs, especially my father, who was murdered while inside jail,” Espinosa said.
The younger Espinosa, who is now running for mayor of Albuera, Leyte in next year’s elections, also called on President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Congress to provide justice for his family.
“I appeal to the President and Congress to give justice to my father, who was killed like an animal while in detention,” he urged.
His father, Rolando Espinosa Sr., who was serving as mayor of Albuera at the time, was killed in a November 5, 2016 raid conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Authorities claim that Espinosa Sr. resisted arrest and was shot in a supposed shootout while being served a warrant for illegal possession of firearms and drugs.
Kerwin Espinosa stopped short of directly calling for Duterte to be prosecuted by the ICC but left the decision to the international court.
“Let the ICC investigate and decide who should be held accountable for the war on drugs,” he said.
“But I can tell you that Duterte’s war on drugs failed to target the big players. It was the small-time criminals who were killed and jailed, while the real culprits were left untouched.”
Espinosa expressed frustration toward Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, whom he accused of pressuring him to implicate individuals in the illegal drug trade, including former Senator Leila de Lima.
“Senator Bato threatened me and forced me to name people involved in the drug trade. I made up names because I was scared, but deep inside, I knew it wasn’t true,” Espinosa confessed.
“To everyone I wrongfully implicated in my Senate testimony, I offer my sincere apology.”
He specifically apologized to former Senator Leila de Lima, who had been detained based on Espinosa’s earlier testimony. “I am glad she accepted my apology,” he said.
Both Duterte and de la Rosa are under investigation by the ICC for their roles in the violent drug crackdown, which some reports claim resulted in more than 20,000 deaths.
Espinosa further vowed to campaign against dela Rosa’s bid for re-election as senator in 2025, calling him “useless” and blaming him for the deaths of many people during the anti-drug operations.
“Don’t vote for him. I’m telling you, he’ll get zero votes here in Albuera,” Espinosa declared.
If elected as mayor, Espinosa promised to make Albuera a drug-free municipality and called on the media to stop referring to him as a “self-confessed drug lord.”
He claimed that the label was coined by dela Rosa and insisted that he is now a reformed individual.
“Yes, I was (involved in illegal drugs before), but I’ve changed. Everyone deserves a second chance,” said Espinosa, who is running alongside his younger sister, Mariel Espinosa, as his vice mayoral candidate.
JOEY A. GABIETA
