Espenido implicates Go, Dela Rosa in Duterte's drug war, confirms reward and quota system for kills

According to him, the abuses committed by the police have caused many innocent civilians to become casualties in the war. This is because the police followed a system where "pushers and users" were the ones who were targeted and not sources of drugs themselves.

"Kaya maski sino na lang trabahuhin, as long as nasa watchlist ka. But it’s very public knowledge naman dito na tayo nasiyahan sa ginawa. But then, inabuso 'yun na ang problema sa war against illegal drugs," he said.

"It's very sorry to say that nag-take advantage, nag-take opportuniy ‘yung mga masama na police para lang magka-pera at saka maka-position … Sorry to say that," he continued.

When asked if he was aware of the public protests happening at the time against the drug war, Espenido said that he was and stressed how human rights were violated during the drug campaign.

Go and Dela Rosa's involvement

During this time, the law enforcer alleged that when he became the police chief in Albuera town in Leyte, Dela Rosa reached out to him and requested if he could tear down the drug operations happening in the area.

"Ang instruction lang na tulungan mo ako Jovie, at saka si President Duterte, about this war against illegal drugs, so dapat galingan mo ah, ikaw ang i-assign ko as chief of police ng Albuera, so dapat mawala na ‘yong mga drugs sa Albuera.’ So your honors, ‘yon ang natandaan ko," Espenido recounted.

He explained that Dela Rosa's usage of "mawala" had a different meaning when it came to police language.

"Isa lang ang general word na ibigay, lahat alam na namin ang isang meaning din. ‘Pag sabi na mawala, kasali na ‘yong mamatay, that is very very obvious of us," he said.

Espenido further asserted that Dela Rosa was protecting alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa when he was indicted for illegal drug trade in 2021. Kerwin is the son of former Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa who had died under Espenido's watch after he was gunned down in a raid in his jail cell in 2016.

According to Espenido, the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief was involved in burying the cases that he was building up against Kerwin and the police protectors or coddlers who had been receiving money from him.

"I personally reported to PNP Chief Dela Rosa at his office in Camp Crame to submit my accomplishment report in my police operations in Albuera. In that meeting, however, he told me that Kerwin Espinosa had alleged that I was on the take from his group for P20,000 per month," Espenido said.

He continued, "I told him I was ready to resign if there was evidence that I received money from Kerwin as there is no truth as to this, and I was eventually cleared by Kerwin who said I was the only one who did not get money from him and his group in one of the Senate Hearings where he was invited as a resource speaker."

Meanwhile, Go's implication in the extra-judicial killings came after Espenido claimed that the funds for the reward system "funneled downward from the level of Bong Go."

"Even intelligence funds were used in the drug war. POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) money was also used. After these POGOs were able to register with the government, funding was funneled downward from the level of Bong Go," Espenido said in his affidavit.

"I know that there was a reward of P20,000 per kill in the drug war. The funding came from operators of Small-Town Lottery (STL), or jueteng lords who give money to the police regional commanders, provincial commanders, down the line. The group or individuals who make the kill receive the money," he said.

A Leyte court recently dismissed a drug case filed against Kerwin due to insufficient evidence. However, he still faces charges of money laundering before a Pasay court and two cases for illegal possession of dangerous drugs and illegal possession of firearms.

Go and Dela Rosa are both known to have fostered close ties with Duterte.

Responses to Espenido's claims

In a statement, Go vehemently denied his involvement in the alleged reward system in the drug war.

"Si Jovie Espenido na mismo ang umamin noong hearing sa [House of Representatives] na wala siyang direktang impormasyon o ebidensya na makapagsasabi na may kaugnayan ako sa anumang POGO-drug war links. In other words, hearsay lamang ang isinaad niya kaya nakapagtataka kung bakit naging parte pa ng kanyang affidavit ang aking pangalan," the senator stated.

"I can categorically say, kailanman ay wala akong kinalaman sa anumang POGO at sa sinasabi niyang reward system sa drug war. When I was still the Special Assistant to the President, I never handled any funds related to the drug war and most especially anything from POGO. More so when I became senator in 2019," he continued.

Go argued that POGOs had nothing to do with Duterte's war on drugs as well as his governance and administration.

"Ako rin mismo, bilang Vice Chair ng Senate Committee on Public Order, ay nagsabi na noon pa na ayaw ko sa POGO lalo na kung nakakasama ito sa peace and order ng bansa. Ang prayoridad ko ay ang buhay at seguridad ng mga Pilipino," Go said.

"Huwag na sana nilang piliting iugnay sa akin ang mga bagay na wala namang katotohanan. Malisyoso ito at paninirang puri. At hindi ako mag-aalinlangan na gawin ang anumang legal na hakbang laban sa mga nangdadawit sa akin upang protektahan ang aking pangalan," he added.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said that he has yet to read about Epenido's statement during the hearing and that he has no knowledge about the "quota system" being followed during the drug war.

"I don’t know. Hindi ko alam. Siya ang nagsabi? Kanino niya nalaman? Panoorin ko muna ‘yung sinabi niya bago ako makapag… Mahirap mag-comment tayo ng hindi ko alam," he said during a chance interview with reporters.

"I-neutralize ang drugs? O? Anong masama pala nito kung i-neutralize ang drugs? We have to neutralize the drug problem, ‘di ba? Bakit, sinabi ko bang patayin ‘yung tao? Wala naman akong sinabing patayin ‘yung tao," he stressed.

When asked about the phrase neutralize "by all means," the lawmaker insisted that he would need to watch the hearing first.

"Titingnan ko muna kung paano niya sinabi. Gawin mo lahat ng legal na pamamaraan para mahinto ‘yung problema sa droga sa lugar niyo, ‘di ba? Kaya ka in-assign diyan para trabahuin mo ‘yung droga," Dela Rosa said.

"Wala man akong sinabi, 'In-assign kita diyan para patayin mo lahat ng mga adik diyan, lahat ng mga pusher diyan, patayin mo.' Wala man akong sinabing gano’n, ‘di ba? So ‘yun lang. Trabaho mo ‘yan as Chief of Police, linisin mo ‘yung kapaligiran mo. Magtrabaho ka para mawala ang problema sa droga," he added.

Sought for comment, PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo did not reply when asked to respond to Espenido’s statement. (with reports from Sheila Crisostomo, Emmanuel Tupas, and Cecille Suerte Felipe)