📷 Kerwin Espinosa | Interaksyon
SELF-CONFESSED drug lord Kerwin Espinosa scored another win following a Leyte court dismissal of the drug charges filed against him.
In its resolution, Baybay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 granted Espinosa’s demurrer to evidence which effectively acquitted one of those who stood as witnesses against former Senator Leila Delima.
Presiding Judge Carlos Arguelles noted the insufficiency of evidence of the prosecution against Espinosa and ordered the release of his bail bond amounting to P600,000 he posted in December 2023 for temporary liberty over what is supposedly a non-bailable case.
With Espinosa’s latest legal victory, he is left with just two pending cases in court – one of which embarks on money laundering before Pasay City RTC.
In 2020, he was cleared by then-Manila RTC Branch 26 Presiding Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of his two drug charges.
The following year, Makati RTC Branch 64 dismissed illegal drug trafficking charges against Espinosa “due to lack of evidence.”
At the onset of 2023, Espinosa’s luck hit a streak with three court victories – an acquittal in June 2023 in a drug trade charge after Makati RTC Branch 65 granted his demurrer to evidence, followed in September after Manila RTC Branch 16 acquitted Espinosa in his illegal possession of firearms and explosives charge and another on December 13 with Manila RTC Branch 51 granting his demurrer to evidence in another drug case. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
