Philippines | Drug dealer says he gave money to senator, police

Senator Manny Pacquiao (center), confers with opposition Sen. Leila De Lima (right), and Sen. Nancy Binay, during the testimony of alleged Filipino drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr.

A self-confessed drug dealer, whose father was killed in an alleged gun fight in prison, has testified before a Philippine Senate investigation that he provided police officials and an opposition senator with millions of pesos in protection money.

Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. said yesterday that he gave 8 million pesos (USD160,000) last year to Sen. Leila de Lima’s bodyguard. De Lima was a former justice secretary who President Rodrigo Duterte earlier alleged had collected money from drug lords through her bodyguard, who was also her lover, to fund her senatorial campaign.

De Lima, who has initiated an investigation into Duterte’s deadly anti-drug campaign, denied receiving money from Espinosa, saying she does not know him.

Human rights groups and Western governments have criticized Duterte’s anti-drug campaign that has left more than 4,000 suspected addicts and pushers dead since July.

Espinosa, who was returned to the Philippines last Friday after his arrest in Abu Dhabi, said he dealt only with Dayan, who brought him to meet de Lima briefly in northern Baguio city last November where they had a picture taken together. De Lima has said she was campaigning at that time and many people wanted take a photo with her.

“No, we had no discussion,” Espinosa said, referring to de Lima. “Ronnie warned me that she would not speak to me around many people.”

De Lima told the hearing that Espinosa’s testimony was a fabrication and delivered “under gunpoint, under duress.”

“May God forgive you for all your sins and may God forgive you for all your lies about me, and I forgive you,” De Lima told the Senate inquiry.

She has said that Duterte was out to destroy her, first earning his ire years ago when as head of the Commission on Human Rights she investigated his suspected links to a death squad that assassinated drug suspects in southern Davao city, where Duterte was a long-time mayor.

Dayan, the bodyguard, was arrested last week after weeks in hiding. Duterte’s allies at the House of Representatives presented him to the media late Tuesday, where he said he did collect money from Espinosa on instructions of de Lima.

He said he and de Lima were lovers for seven years. De Lima admitted in a television interview last week that she was once in a romantic relationship with Dayan.

Espinosa’s father, town mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., was arrested last month. He had agreed to cooperate with officials but was killed Nov. 5 in an alleged gun fight with police inside his jail cell. Senators investigating the case suspect it was an intentional killing. Teresa Cerojano, Manila, AP

Philippine-US military exercises to be reduced next year

The Philippine armed forces chief said yesterday that five military exercises with the United States, including at least two major naval drills, will be scrapped next year at the direction of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Gen. Ricardo Visaya told reporters that U.S. officials respected the Philippines’ proposal to reduce the number of drills to 258, or five less than this year’s exercises.

Earlier this week, the two allies held a meeting of their Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board co-chaired by Visaya and Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., head of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Visaya said the scrapped drills include an Amphibious Landing Exercise and Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, both major naval exercises that include territorial defense training.

He said next year’s exercises will focus on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counterterrorism.

Duterte has said he wants to chart a foreign policy less oriented toward Washington, and wants to expand security ties with China and Russia.

Armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the 258 exercises include small drills involving only a few soldiers, but that 13 are considered major drills.

Padilla said the large-scale “Balikatan” or “shoulder-to-
shoulder” exercises will be retained but will focus on humanitarian and disaster response.