MANILA, Philippines — Police lieutenant colonel Jovie Espenido accused Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa of forcing him to testify against former Sen. Leila de Lima in the illegal drug trade case.
At the ninth hearing of the House Quad Committee on Tuesday, October 22, Espenido recanted his earlier testimony in a Senate investigation linking former Sen. Leila de Lima to the prison drug trade, which had led to her nearly seven-year-long arrest.
During the interpellation of Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro (Batangas, 2nd District), Espenido confirmed the sworn statement of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
Espinosa previously told lawmakers that both he and the former Albuera, Leyte police chief were coerced by Dela Rosa to align their testimonies during the Senate investigation.
According to Espinosa’s affidavit, submitted during the mega panel’s eighth public hearing, Dela Rosa had instructed them to “follow all the narratives he was saying.”
“There’s also a testimony coming from Kerwin Espinosa that you and him were instructed to talk with each other to make sure that your testimonies against Sen. De Lima is consistent. Do you confirm this?” Luistro asked.
“I confirm, Your Honor,” Espenido directly answered.
Luistro also asked Espenido if his confirmation meant he was retracting his testimony against De Lima.
“With your answers to my questions, Colonel Espenido, this afternoon, are you retracting all the testimonies that you gave against Sen. De Lima during that senate investigation?” the lawmaker asked.
“Yes, Your Honor,” Espenido confidently responded.
It can be recalled that Espenido previously provided a photo as evidence allegedly showing De Lima meeting with Espinosa in Baguio City to arrange illegal drug transactions.
In response to another question from Luistro about whether he knew Espinosa before reports of De Lima's alleged ties to him, Espenido said that he did not know Espinosa before the Senate investigation.
Espenido also told the committee that he only knew De Lima as the former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, justice secretary under the Aquino III administration, and later as a senator. He added that he recalls seeing her during his assignment in Albuera, Leyte.
De lima, who was cleared of all charges in June 2024, was seen mouthing “Salamat (Thank you)” to Espenido after he confirmed to lawmakers Espinosa’s testimony.
Dela Rosa denied these allegations, saying he neither orchestrated the case against De Lima nor threatened Espinosa to confess.
Espenido has been a resource person at the House joint committee’s probe into the drug-related extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration.
He once said that the Philippine National Police is “the biggest crime group” in the country due to extrajudicial killingsvola, which human rights groups estimate to be around 30,000. He also alleged that there was a reward system for police officers funded by gambling money.
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Kerwin Espinosa: Bato Dela Rosa forced me to confess, implicate De Lima in drug trade