'Duterte believes Espenido is clean,' says Panelo
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte believes Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido is clean despite the cop’s inclusion in the government’s narcolist, his spokesperson said.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Friday that reports on Espenido’s inclusion in the drug list may be propaganda meant to besmirch the cop’s reputation, despite the president’s Interior and Local Government confirming the media reports.
“There appears to be a black propaganda waged against Espenido to besmirch the reputation of the latter in the eyes of [Duterte] and the Filipino nation, and to derail his unrelenting campaign against illegal drugs,” Panelo said.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed to The STAR that Espenido, who has been relieved of his post, is among 357 cops under the government’s drug watchlist. He said that Espenido will be investigated for his alleged link to the illegal drug trade.
“Yes, that’s true, and he will also undergo validation and possible investigation,” Año said in a Viber message to The STAR.
Espenido held the post of Bacolod City police deputy chief for operations until his relief.
Panelo, however, said that Duterte believes the media reports on Espenido are untrue and that the cop is clean.
“Lt. Col. Espenido continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of the President. [Duterte] believes that reports of his alleged involvement in prohibited drugs are untrue,” Panelo also said.
A STAR report, quoting an anonymous source, said that Espenido and two one-star generals are among 357 police officers who have been relieved from their posts and are now under investigation for illegal drugs.
Espenido in Duterte’s drug war
Espenido, then-chief of Albuera, Leyte police, led the raid of the house of former then-Mayor Rolando Espinosa, branded as narco-politician by the government, who was later killed in detention.
Two months after the raid in Espinosa’s house, Espenido led the bloody raid in the residence of the late Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr.—another alleged narco-politician—where more than 10 people were killed.
Duterte, in a speech marking National Heroes Day in 2017, cited Espenido’s efforts in drug war.
When he appointed Espenido to his post in Bacolod, Duterte told Espenido to “kill everybody” in Bacolod City, which he said is “badly hit” by illegal drugs. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from The STAR/Emmanuel Tupas
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