THE government has seized multimillion-peso worth of laundered assets linked to Albuera Mayor Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, who admitted he was a drug lord during the Duterte administration but later recanted.
Also seized were assets from alleged international drug financier Sally Ang Nina.
In a statement, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the Regional Trial Courts of Manila handed down rulings to forfeit a portfolio of real estate properties, luxury vehicles, bank accounts and other high-value assets.
“In a historic crackdown on organized crime, the Philippine government has struck a big blow to the financial domains of two powerful drug syndicates, seizing multimillion-peso worth of laundered assets in what is now the largest court-ordered asset forfeiture in the history of the Philippines’ anti-drug law enforcement,” said the PDEA.
THE FORFEITED ASSETS. The court order covered a vast portfolio linked to both individuals.
Among Espinosa’s forfeited assets were:
Six real estate properties in Albuera, Leyte; Ormoc City; and Misamis Oriental;
13 high-end vehicles, including Toyota HiAce vans, Ford and Kia pickups, a Nissan Navara and a Toyota Fortuner;
Multiple bank accounts; and
Watercraft and firearms, including one yellow and one black jet ski, a jet boat, a Yamaha motorcycle and several pistols and shotguns.
The PDEA said the courts ruled that these assets were acquired through years of illegal drug trafficking and money laundering, often hidden under aliases and proxy owners such as Artemio A. Magno, Laura M. Yu, Grace Eamiguel Caparoso and Rogelio Caparoso, and Sherlita Garrido-Pelicano.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the following assets linked to Nina, who also used aliases such as Sharon Xia Lim, Xie Ming Fen, Xie Mei Rong, Tian Gang Shi, Sarah Lee Jessica, and Evelyn H. See Ting: over P51 million in Metrobank, BPI, and BDO accounts and investment funds; P10 million in BDO unit investment trust funds; luxury vehicles, including two Honda CR-Vs; and contingent liabilities totaling P36.54 million.
The PDEA said freezing these assets is a significant setback to Nina’s alleged illegal drug network’s ability to operate. Nina’s alleged associates — Ten Tiang Shi, Sarah Lee Jessica and Evelyn H. See Ting — were also stripped of their financial holdings.
CONTRADICTION: ACQUITTAL AND VICTORY. The massive asset seizure comes despite Espinosa’s recent legal victories and political comeback. Espinosa is the son of slain former Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
Rolando was elected mayor in May 2016, but by August 2016, then President Rodrigo Duterte issued an ultimatum to him and his son, leading to Rolando’s surrender. In October 2016, Rolando was arrested for illegal drug and firearm possession, and Espinosa was arrested in the Middle East.
Rolando was killed in his jail cell in November 2016, a death later concluded by the NBI to be an extrajudicial killing.
In June 2023, Espinosa was acquitted of a major drug trading case. He then filed his candidacy for mayor of Albuera, Leyte, in October 2024, was wounded in a campaign rally in April 2025, and ultimately won the mayoral race in May.
‘TURNING THE TIDE ON CRIMINAL WEALTH.’ This move signals a strategic shift by the government to focus on financial disruption. PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez, in a statement, said the success is a testament to the strength of the country’s institutions and judiciary, resulting from firm interagency collaboration led by the Anti-Money Laundering Council in partnership with the PDEA, Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation.
“This massive asset forfeiture is not just about removing wealth from organized criminals; it is about eradicating their influence, capabilities and legacy,” said Nerez. “The Philippine government has sent an unambiguous message: No one is beyond the reach of justice.”
He added: “We are not just arresting personalities in drug syndicates; we are dismantling their organizations. We are turning the tide on criminal wealth. Every hidden bank account, every luxury vehicle, and every piece of laundered money will be found, frozen and forfeited.”
In a letter to Nerez, AMLC Executive Director Matthew David praised the agencies for their “close coordination” and the sharing of “critical confidential information,” which were essential in building airtight cases.
“The court’s decision is a monumental affirmation of our resolve to strike at the heart of illegal drug financing. These forfeitures prove that crime does not pay,” David said.
This strategy of dismantling syndicates by cutting off their resources, not just arresting personalities, also highlights a global trend. Many countries pursue asset forfeiture as a parallel tool against organized crime, since syndicates often outlast individual prosecutions.
WHAT REMAINS UNCLEAR. Several questions persist. First, will Espinosa challenge the forfeiture ruling, given his political position as mayor? Second, will the seizure of assets effectively disrupt the operations of the reported drug syndicates, or will it merely represent symbolic victories? Third, how did the courts determine asset disproportionality and trace specific properties and accounts to drug operations, especially since the PDEA referenced the use of aliases and proxies? /TPM SunStar Philippines