2 alleged Espinosa drug syndicate members nabbed in Bohol; 5 kgs. seized

TWO suspected members of a drug syndicate allegedly led by Kerwin Espinosa were arrested in Tagbilaran City, Bohol last Tuesday afternoon.

Their arrest came hours after they allegedly received five kilos of shabu from Espinosa’s henchman.

But by the time agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Bohol cornered Victor Aguilar, 36, and Marlowe Dano, 25, in a buy-bust, the two had already distributed the bulk of their stash, said Atty. Rennan Augustus Oliva of the NBI-Bohol.

Oliva said the suspects denied any link to Espinosa.

Ilang supply gikan kuno kang Kerwin. He (Aguilar) would not admit na direct supplier nila si Kerwin, but we have information na tawo ni Kerwin ang naghatod sa five kilos (Their supply is said to be from Kerwin. He would not admit that but we have information that it was Kerwin’s henchman who delivered the shabu),” he told Sun.Star Cebu.

Oliva said the suspects were only running errands for a supervisor with direct contact to Kerwin.

Oliva said the group’s operation covers the entire province of Bohol, including Tagbilaran City and their hometown of Balilihan. They usually transact with buyers through phone, and payments are sent through money transfer firms.

“We got a report that they received the five kilos from Kerwin’s henchman Tuesday morning and by the time our agents caught up with them in Tagbilaran, they already distributed the shabu to their men in six towns. They are the distributors in all the towns. It’s a big group that started four years ago,” he said.

Recovered

The police recovered several packs of shabu worth about P300,000 and two .45 pistols with live ammunition during the operation.

Oliva said the suspects transacted with their poseur buyer near the Island City Mall on Zamora St. in Dao District at 5 p.m.

Sensing that they were dealing with authorities, Aguilar and Dano tried to flee on their motorcycle and attempted to shoot the NBI agents.

Nagkapangos-pangos gyud sila kay ni-action man ug arangkada. Natumba gyud sila kay nagunitan man sa atong mga tawo mao to nga nagligid-ligid gyud sila. They were ready to shoot our men, but we are pro-life, so they’re alive,” said Oliva.

At 2 p.m. yesterday, NBI-Bohol filed complaints for violating Section 5 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for selling illegal drugs, a non-bailable offense.

Kerwin, son of arrested Albuera, Leyte mayor Roland Espinosa, was arrested in Abu Dhabi last Oct. 17 for several drug-related cases.

The older Espinosa earlier admitted his son’s involvement in the illegal drug trade in Eastern Visayas and Cebu, and named several police officials who allegedly protect his son’s business.

However, PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa said deportation of Kerwin may take two weeks up to a month due to the processes he has to undergo with the Abu Dhabi police. With a report from Sunnex

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