CIDG8 Raids Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail, Killed Albuera Mayor

This is the second killing incident of a Philippine politician allegedly linked to illegal drugs in a week.

Rolando Espinosa, Sr., the Albuera township mayor, who was tagged by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, as a part of his crackdown on illegal drugs, was shot dead in his jail cell, early Saturday morning, by CIDG8 operatives headed by Chief Inspector Leo Laraga. The operatives the incident as a shootout at Leyte sub-provincial jail, according to reports from other news correspondents.

Allegedly tip by an informant, the CIDG8 operatives raided the jail, brought them a search warrant, in search of firearms and drugs.
Another inmate and Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., were killed when they reportedly “fired upon the raiding team”, led by Chief Inspector Laraga.

Contrary to a report a week before, Leyte Provincial Administrator Edgardo Cordeño said that the local government, which supervises the detention facility, found out in an inspection a week before the incident happen, that there are no illegal drugs and firearms kept by any of the inmates.Cordeño said that they had an inspection at the jail a week before the incident, and did not find any illegal contrabands inside.
The officials wondered why the CIDG8 operatives, raided the facility without informing them first. The operatives stormed the detention facility at four o’clock in the morning, seven hours before the Provincial Government received the copy of the search warrant.

It is also very alarming that they’ve done the raid at that early, made the jail guards and some policemen detailed in the facility, which can be treated as friendlies, disarmed and had them faced the wall. When asked at the Senate about why they did that to friendlies, Chief Inspector Leo Laraga said, they did it as they find them dangerous and they are uncooperative.

The detention facility is equipped with CCTVs, and they noticed that the CCTV digital video recorder is nowhere to be found after the incident. The monitor was all that left.

Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr, is the father of Kerwin Espinosa, who had been arrested earlier in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The incident left everybody saying it happened to silence the Mayor. It is said that Espinosa, Sr., had a book containing names who allegedly received payolas from the Espinosa’s.

If Kerwin arrived from Abu Dhabi, do we have the assurance that he too, will not get killed like his father? Everybody is telling stories that what Kerwin should do is exposed the truth now or it’s too late.