Alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa arrived in Manila from Abu Dhabi from early morning on Friday.
He took the Philippine Airlines flight 657, which landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 3:41 a.m.
He was arrested in Abu Dhabi in October after eluding the authorities for months. Kerwin and his father, the late Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., were named by President Rodrigo Duterte himself as among the major drug lords supplying in Eastern Visayas.
PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa himself led the team that met Kerwin and his PNP escorts led by Senior Supt. Albert Ferro, with the assistance of Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Constancio Vingno, Jr.
Dela Rosa said in an earlier media interview that he already assured Kerwin of his safety upon arriving in the Philippines.
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Kerwin earlier expressed his fears that cops will kill him too, just like what happened to his father.
He was later moved to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
Kerwin said that he is willing reveal everyone who was involved with his drug trade.
“Itong sitwasyon ko ngayon na wala na ang Papa ko, maasahan niya (President Duterte) na lahat ng involved sa drugs na nalalaman ko, lalabas ko lahat yan na mga pangalan nila,” he said during a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Friday morning.
But before his plane arrived in Manila, Kerwin denied that he is a drug lord.
“Na-involved ako sa ganyan. Pero hindi ako ang drug lord ng Eastern Visayas,” he said.
“Nagbebenta noon, pero nung umalis ako, huminto na ako niyan,” he added.
Aside from begging Duterte and Dela Rosa for his safety, he also asked them to keep his family safe.
As far as Kerwin’s safety is concerned, the PNP chief said that Kerwin will stay “isolated” in the custodial center.
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Dela Rosa also noted that they consider Kerwin as “an arrested drug suspect and witness.”
Asked who supported him when he fled abroad, Kerwin said that he only used the money he brought from the Philippines, $40,000 and an ATM, to keep his family safe.
When asked about Senator Leila de Lima, Kerwin declined to comment.
Sources: (news.abs-cbn.com, gmanetwork.com)
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