đź“·Sen. Ronald ‘Bato” dela Rosa
THE controversial police colonel referred to as the “butcher” may have “transformed” as he tagged his former superior and the organization that he’s part of as the biggest crime group in the country.
Appearing before the House quad committee investigating illegal POGO, drug trade and extrajudicial killings during the previous administration, Col. Jovie Espenido, particularly accused former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief now Senator Ronald dela Rosa of protecting suspected drug lords.
Aside from dela Rosa, Espenido who has been on floating status for some time, likewise claimed that the biggest crime group that the government should neutralize is the PNP itself.
According to Espenido who gained prominence after leading the police operation against politicians engaged in the illicit drug trade, it was dela Rosa who helped Kerwin Espinosa walk free despite a strong case build-up he filed against the son of the late Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, adding that the former PNP chief turned senator was receiving protection money from the young Espinosa’s drug syndicate.
He also accused dela Rosa of aiding high ranking police officials protecting Kerwin Espinosa’s drug group – a syndicate which by his own admission was his own effort to neutralize the illegal drug trade.
To prove his claim, the police colonel said that it was him who arrested Kerwin in Dubai – but for some reason, the self-proclaimed drug lord was turned over to the PNP Anti-Illegal Drug Group, instead of allowing his unit which was then on top of the case.
Aside from Espinosa, he claimed that the Parojinog family-ran drug group also enjoyed the same protection from law enforcement as Melvin Odicta and Kerwin Espinosa, with police elements allegedly helping them set up their drug operations.
According to him, publicly labeled drug lords cannot operate without the protection of policemen, adding that Espinosa had a list of police generals and other PNP officials who received money from their group, as indicated in a ledger and in copies of cleared checks recovered from their accountant.
As if his allegations against his former superior isn’t enough, Espenido cited an instance when dela Rosa tried to pin him down by making up stories dragging him to be on the take from the young Espinosa’s drug group.
Interestingly, he was cleared after Kerwin himself testified in a senate hearing that Espenido is not among the police officials receiving protection money from his group. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
