LIVE: Senate probe into Espinosa slay – Day 3
Confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and Ronnie Dayan, a former driver of Sen. Leila de Lima, are expected to appear at the Senate public hearing on the killing of Kerwin's father, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, inside a provincial jail. Senate PH | AP composite
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson will resume its inquiry into the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte.
The Senate panel will be joined by Senate committee on justice led by Sen. Richard Gordon.
The two Senate blocs will probe Espinosa’s death. He was shot dead inside his cell in a sub-provincial jail in Baybay City, Leyte.
Watch the hearing LIVE starting 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 5, 2016:
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of Region 8 claimed to be serving a a warrant for Espinosa in connection with illegal possession of firearms inside his cell. The mayor allegedly resisted arrest and was killed at around 4 a.m. on November 5, but facts surrounding the incident confound the police alibi.
The past two hearings were held last November 10 and 23.
On November 23, Espinosa’s son Kerwin attended the inquiry and claimed that he gave money to Sen. Leila De Lima through her driver Ronnie Dayan. Dayan, who admitted to having had an affair with the senator, is expected to testify before the Senate to address previous discrepancies in his testimony at the House of Representatives.
“Magiging issue-based lang kami. Hindi kami magde-dealt doon sa personal unless hindi maiwasan dahil in relation to the issue or issues involved na maungkat yung personal pero hindi naman aabot doon sa kung anong climax. Hindi naman kami aabot sa ganun,” Lacson said, adding that they will only resolve the inconsistencies on Kerwin and Dayan’s statements.
De Lima, a member of the justice panel, said she might not attend the Senate probe.
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