DOJ: Move Kerwin to regular jail

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has filed a motion for the transfer of alleged drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa to a regular Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility after he was removed from the DOJ’s witness protection program.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said yesterday that they will no longer use Espinosa as a witness in the drug cases filed against him and his co-accused Peter Go Lim, who remains at large.

Malcontento said the removal of Espinosa from the witness protection program will not affect the pending illegal drug cases.

Records show that Espinosa is facing four cases in the Manila regional trial courts, one each in the Makati and Cebu RTCs and two each in the Pasay and Ormoc RTCs.

Espinosa was removed from the DOJ’s witness protection program due to various offenses he committed while he was detained at the National Bureau of Investigation.