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[av_heading heading=’Leila looks to Espinosa bro to prove innocence ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – Sen. Leila de Lima believes the elder brother of slain Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte can help prove her innocence.
De Lima was allegedly one of the suspected drug protectors whose names were contained in an affidavit Espinosa signed before he was killed.
A report in a Cebu City-based newspaper quoted Espinosa’s brother Ramon as saying the mayor told him he was only made to sign a prepared affidavit containing the names of 226 alleged drug protectors.
De Lima asked the Senate committee on public order to invite Ramon Espinosa to its hearing on Thursday.
“I am telling you, imbento na naman iyan. Kasama na naman iyan sa invent-pa-more na ako tinuturo diyan,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
“I don’t even know the Espinosas, and I am never a protector, coddler or beneficiary of a drug trade,” de Lima stressed. “So bakit kasama na naman ako diyan? Supposedly No. 1 na naman daw ako sa listahan.”
According to the senator, the so-called drug list was “manipulated” to show her involvement in the drug trade.
De Lima said she will join Thursday’s hearing to know who was behind the mayor’s death and how he was killed.
Espinosa was gunned down while inside his cell in Baybay, Leyte.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives were about to serve Espinosa a search warrant in light of information the detainee was allegedly keeping a gun in his cell when the mayor and another inmate fired at the operatives, the CIDG claimed.
“I share the same observation [with] Sen. (Panfilo) Ping Lacson na very suspicious (Espinosa’s death),” said de Lima. “There are more questions than answers. Alas kwatro (The warrant was served at 4 a.m.)? Bakit CIDG?”
Earlier de Lima called Espinosa’s shooting “mega impunity” and dismissed insinuations that she masterminded it.
“Nakakatawa na po sila to the point of being pathetic already,” she said. “Hindi ko naman kilala si Espinosa na iyan.”
The senator believes Espinosa was killed by drug protectors.
“Pamamaraan naman ito para lalo akong ipitin. Sasabihin nila na puwedeng isa ako sa masterminds,” she said. “Baka Mayor Espinosa showed signs na ire-retract niya na ang kanyang affidavit kung saan tinuturo akong nasa itaas ng drug trade.”/PN
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