ALBUERA, Leyte—An estimated of P88 million worth of shabu was seized from the house of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Ronald Espinosa Sr. early Wednesday morning, police said.
Armed with a search warrant, police raided Espinosa’s home in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Benolho in Albuera town at about 6:20 a.m.
Albuera police chief Jovy Espinedo said they found 11 kilograms of shabu there, and seized 12 camouflage uniforms and various materials that could be used for making bombs.
Police also combed Espinosa’s house on Tuesday and found several high-powered firearms.
President Rodrigo Duterte had named the mayor a drug coddler on Aug. 1.
Espinosa surrendered to the Philippine National Police the following day and later admitted that his son, Ronald “Kerwin” Espinosa, is a top drug trafficker in Visayas. He denied involvement in the drug trade, however, and returned to Leyte.
Espinosa, who was tagged as a protector of his son Kerwin, was not at home when police raided his house.
In Northern Samar meantime, Mayor Madeleine Ong, who was included in Duterte’s list of drug suspects, insisted she was an anti-drug advocate and had waged war on illegal drugs since she became mayor in 1986.
“Under my term, the municipal government has waged war against illegal drugs. We have been doing that even before President Duterte assumed office,” Ong said.
Ong has not reported to Camp Crame but said: “I will cooperate with authorities to clear my name once and for all.”
In Quezon City, Mayor Herbert Bautista admitted that his younger brother, District 4 Councilor Hero Bautista, tested positive for illegal drugs in a surprise drug test.
Ares Gutierrez, public affairs information services officer, confirmed the mayor told the weekly executive committee meeting attended by city hall’s department heads that his brother tested positive for drug use.
He said the younger Bautista will have to take a leave of absence during his six-month rehabilitation treatment, and that his position will not be filled up since he will still be allowed to go back for work.
The councilor will not be subjected to expulsion proceedings, he added.
Majority floor leader Franz Pumaren of District 3 is tasked to appoint a caretaker during Hero’s duration of absence, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
“The councilor was tested positive in the first drug test. Also, he tested positive in the conformity test,” she said.
Hero complained the tests were erroneous, and that he demanded to be tested against in, she added.
Belmonte said that as early as last week, she had already told the mayor about the drug tests of his brother and the rest of the councilors.
She said she kept silent on the drug results to give the mayor the opportunity to make the announcements.
The Office of the Vice Mayor spearheaded the surprise drug test of employees from the legislative department.
None of the legislative employees, except Hero, tested positive.
Police said a total of 30 local government officials who surrendered to the police because they were named by President Duterte as coddlers of drug pushers denied the accusations against them.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Chief Supt. Roel Obusan said these included mayors, vice mayors, a congressman, a councilor, a jail employee, and others who voluntarily submitted themselves to the CIDG together with their counsels and gave their statements.
Out of this number, a former mayor and an incumbent mayor gave their statements with confessions, while a Maguindanao incumbent mayor submitted an affidavit.
Most of the local government officials denied the accusations against them.
The Justice Department on Wednesday filed criminal charges against the Chinese national arrested last Friday in a warehouse in Angeles City in Pampanga where some P100 million worth of shabu was seized.
No bail is allowed for the charge of illegal possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia filed against Chen Yiye before the Angeles City regional trial court.
Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera recommended the filing of the drug charges after finding probable cause on the complaint filed by arresting agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Navera found merit in the evidence submitted by PDEA showing that Chen was found inside the warehouse with the illegal drugs.
With Rio N. Araja, PNA
