Pressure from Dela Rosa to implicate De Lima in drug trade - Espinosa

Metro Manila, Philippines – Self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa told lawmakers on Friday that then national police chief now Sen. Bato dela Rosa who ordered him to implicate ex-Sen. Leila de Lima in illegal drug trade in 2016.

Espinosa said Dela Rosa ordered him to fabricate stories against De Lima and businessman Peter Lim upon his return from Abu Dhabi in November 2016.

“At bago pa man iyon, pinilit nila ako na umamin na ako ay may kinalaman sa droga. Ito ay sinasabi niya sa akin habang papunta ako ng Crame. Pagdating namin doon ay may media at nagpresscon ang mga pulis at sinali nila ako. Doon ko sinabi ang statement na humihingi ako ng tawad sa Presidente, at nangako na ako ay magbabago pag binigyan pa ng isa pang pagkakataon,” Espinosa said in his sworn testimony submitted to the House quad committee on Oct. 11.

[Translation: And even before that, they forced me to admit that I was involved with drugs. He was telling me this while we were on our way to Crame. When we got there, there was media, and the police held a press conference and included me. There, I made a statement asking for forgiveness from the president and promised that I would change if given another chance.]

Espinosa said implicating De Lima and other personalities had the blessing of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

He said he obeyed for fear of suffering the same fate as his father, former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was killed in prison in November 2016.

“Sabi ni Bato. ‘Kerwin, para magkainitindihan tayo para walang mangyari sa’yo. Sumunod ka na lang sa plano.’ Nagtanong ako. Anong plano po ba? Sagot ni sir Bato, ‘Iyong plano na idiin si Peter lim at si Leila de Lima na kasali sa droga, supplier si Peter Lim dito sa Pilipinas. At si Leila, protector sa nagbebenta ng droga,’” he said.

[Translation: Bato told me. ‘So nothing will happen to you. Just follow the plan’. I asked, 'What plan is that?' Sir Bato replied. 'The plan to implicate Peter Lim and Leila de Lima in drugs; Peter Lim is a supplier here in the Philippines, and Leila is a protector of those selling drugs.]

Espinosa said Dela Rosa even told him to collaborate with De Lima’s bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan, who earlier said he received drug money on behalf of the ex-senator. Dayan recanted in 2022.

De Lima was cleared of all drug-related charges in June 2024.

“Sabi ni General Bato, ‘Ayusin niyo ang statement na magkatugma ang petsa ng area kung saan nagkaroon ng pagbigay ng pera at pagtanggap ng pera.’ Kasi magkaiba ang aming sinasabi,” Espinosa said.

[Translation: General Bato told me, ‘Make sure your statements that the area where the acceptance of drug money happened match.’ Because I and Dayan have differing statements.]

Espinosa apologized during the hearing to De Lima for implicating her in the drug trade.

He also called on Dela Rosa to stop making up stories for the sake of politics.

“Iwasan natin at huwag na natin gawin na pilitin na gumawa ng kuwento para lang ma-pindown ang isang tao,” he said

[Translation: Let’s stop ourselves from inventing stories to pin down someone.]

Dela Rosa denies allegations

In a phone interview, Dela Rosa denied the accusations.

He said he only met Espinosa once in detention.

“Iyon lang, kinonfirm ko lang yung nangyari kay Espenido nga, yung kuwan — yung kung totoo ba yung sinabi niya na tumatanggap sa kanya ng pera si Espenido,” Dela Rosa added.

“Sabi naman niya, masama lang daw ang loob niya dahil pinatay iyong tatay niya sa loob ng kulungan kaya nya nasabi iyon,” he said.

[Translation: That’s it. I just confirmed what happened with Espenido, about whether what he said was true—that Espinido was accepting money from him…he said he felt bad because his father was killed in prison, which is why he said that.]

Dela Rosa stood pat on skipping the House probe.

The House quad committee has been investigating links between extrajudicial killings and drug war with illegal offshore gaming operations.