ROLANDO “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., who allegedly controls the drug trade in Eastern Visayas, may be in hiding in Malaysia, as of yesterday afternoon.
A government official, who requested anonymity, said Espinosa first arrived in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, last June 21, or nine days before the inauguration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to records from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, a “Roland Kerwin Espinosa” returned to the Philippines last Aug. 1.
However, that Kerwin’s registered date of birth is Nov. 7, 2007.
The official said Kerwin may have paid someone to change his records, so authorities couldn’t trace him.
Kerwin sent surrender feelers last Thursday, three days after his father Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. surrendered to Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa.
Last Monday, the President issued an order, telling the Espinosas to surrender within 24 hours or risk being shot.
The pronouncement came after the mayor’s bodyguards were arrested in a buy-bust in Barangay Benolho.
Ongoing manhunt
Some 237 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu worth about P1.9 million were seized from suspects Jessie Ocarez, 34; Marcelo Adorco, 40; Jose Antipuesto, 36; Ernesto Dumalat, 20; and Jeffrey Pesquera, 39.
Meanwhile, Police Regional Office 7 Director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño said they are conducting a manhunt for Kerwin here in Cebu and in other provinces in the region.
Police said Kerwin is reportedly in the same level as suspected Central Visayas drug lord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz, who was killed in Las Piñas City last June 17 during a police operation.
Last Thursday afternoon, Julito Prak, the alleged right-hand man of Kerwin, was killed by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 in Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City.
Prak was shot after he allegedly tried to shoot agents who were about to arrest him after the buy-bust was completed.
PDEA 7 Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said Kerwin had designated Prak to safeguard his supply of shabu. The two men grew up together in Hipodromo.