Alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa shot while campaigning for mayor in Leyte

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Controversial mayoral candidate Kerwin Espinosa is attacked at a covered court in Barangay Tinag-an in Albuera, Leyte, where he and his slate were meeting with residents

MANILA, Philippines – Kerwin Espinosa, a controversial mayoral candidate in the Leyte town of Albuera and alleged former drug lord, was shot on Thursday afternoon, April 10, while campaigning.

The attack took place past 4 pm at a covered court in Barangay Tinag-an, Albuera, where Espinosa and his slate were meeting with residents, said Carl Kevin Batistis, a candidate for town councilor on Espinosa’s ticket.

Espinosa was rushed to a hospital in Ormoc. Raymund Palad, Espinosa’s lawyer, told Rappler that his client suffered a gunshot wound in the chest. Images circulating on social media showed Espinosa conscious but bleeding from a wound above the chest, near his right shoulder.

Espinosa is currently under observation because he had been shot near his lungs. Palad said a stray bullet also hit a teenage girl present in the event where Espinosa had been shot. She was brought to a separate medical facility.

Palad added that the gunman shot Espinosa up close, right in front of the mayoral candidate. 

Espinosa has security details, but Palad said the bet wants his bodyguards to observe a certain distance, so the assailant took this opportunity to carry out the plan against Espinosa.

Police launched a manhunt shortly after the attack and had begun a hot pursuit operation to track down the gunman, authorities said. No suspects have been identified as of this posting.

Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia said the perpetrators should be unmasked and brought to justice.

Espinosa gained national notoriety when he surrendered to authorities and admitted to his role in the illegal drug trade during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. He faced drug-related charges, many of which were eventually dismissed.

He was the son of slain Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., and both of them were accused by Duterte of involvement in the country’s illegal drug trade.

The elder Espinosa was killed inside his jail cell at the Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail during an alleged shootout with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The younger Espinosa later testified during a Senate hearing that then-senator Leila de Lima had received drug money from him. In 2022, he recanted the allegation, saying he was “pressured and seriously threatened” into implicating her. De Lima has since been cleared of all charges.

In June 2024, the Baybay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 dismissed a drug case against Espinosa.

He was also cleared of two drug charges by a Manila court in 2020. The Makati RTC Branch 64 later dismissed separate drug trafficking charges for lack of evidence.

In June 2023, Makati RTC Branch 65 acquitted him of a drug trade charge. In September 2023, Manila RTC Branch 16 acquitted him of illegal possession of firearms and explosives. In December 2023, Manila RTC Branch 51 granted his demurrer to evidence in another drug case.

However, in 2024, the Court of Appeals revived cases against him for illegal possession of dangerous drugs and firearms. These, along with two pending money laundering cases, are now before courts in Pasay City. – with reports from Jairo Bolledo and Jazmin Bonifacio/Rappler.com