Manila judge asked to inhibit from Kerwin Espinosa's drug case
Confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa listens to a question as he is presented to the media upon arrival from Abu Dhabi early Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 at Camp Crame, Quezon City. AP/Bullit Marquez
MANILA, Philippines — The Manila court judge handling the drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa was asked by the prosecution to take his hands off the case, citing interference.
In a six-page motion filed on Friday morning, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 26 Presiding Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. was asked to inhibit from the case.
Assistant State Prosecutor Christian Tracy Bachiller said that Pampilo "unduly interfered with the presentation of the prosecution's evidence."
The prosecutor was referring to the January 26 hearing of Espinosa's case where Jose Antepuesto was presented to the court as a witness.
Antepuesto, facing the court, recanted his earlier testimony and said that he was coerced by the police to implicate Espinosa in the case. The prosecution said that they were not informed of Antepuesto's presentation.
READ: Witness vs Kerwin recants
"The Presiding Judge unduly interfered with the presentation of the prosecution's evidence," the motion read.
Pampilo said that he will decide within three to five days on the prosecution's motion.
Espinosa attends sans lawyer
Espinosa attended Friday's hearing without a legal counsel.
The accused, in a hand-written note submitted earlier, said that he will not attend the hearing. He said: "It is very obvious [that] the threat [to] my life is imminent."
"As of now I am still in the process of looking for a new counsel," Espinosa added.
On Monday, one of Espinosa's lawyers, John Ungab, was killed in an ambush by two unidentified men, shortly after he attended a hearing of his client's case.
The police and the National Bureau of Investigation are currently conducting an investigation on Ungab's slay.
READ: Kerwin Espinosa's lawyer shot dead in Cebu
Espinosa's father, Albuera City Mayor Rolando Espinosa, was killed by police in a supposed shootout inside the Baybay City sub-provincial jail in 2016. The National Bureau of Investigation said the incident was a "rub out" and recommended murder charges against police officers involved. The case has been downgraded to homicide.
Rogelio Bato Jr., lawyer of the Espinosa family, was ambushed in August 2016.
The two Espinosas were among the first publicly accused by President Rodrigo Duterte as being biggest drug lords in the Visayas.
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