Kerwin Espinosa, who has been linked to the illegal drug trade, turns emotional during the House Quad-Committee hearing on October 11, 2024. Espinosa claims former PNP chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa forced him to implicate former senator Leila de Lima in the drug trade leading to her years-long detention. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Police Col. Reydante Endonila Ariza has been relieved as Ormoc City police director over his alleged involvement in the shooting of Albuera, Leyte mayoral candidate Kerwin Espinosa, Police Col. Dionisio Apas Jr., Leyte Police provincial director, confirmed Saturday morning.

Police Col. Dennis Jose Llavore, the deputy regional director for operations, will take over as officer-in-charge of the city's police office.

Apas Jr. said Ariza remains a person of interest in the shooting of Espinosa, who once confessed that he was a drug lord.

Kerwin Espinosa wounded in Leyte shooting incident

“Yung pulis natin ay nakikipag-ugnayan na doon sa mga victims para kunin ang kanilang statement… ongoing po yung kino-conduct natin na result for firearms verifications, ballistic examinations, lahat ng kaukulang procedure na makapag-obtain kami ng appropriate pieces of evidence that would link him doon sa nangyaring pamamaril,” Apas Jr. said.

(Our police are coordinating with the victims to get statements. We are also conducting firearms verifications, ballistic examinations and other procedures to get evidence that would link him to the shooting)

Kerwin Espinosa says won’t be cowed by shooting incident

The provincial police chief said Espinosa and the others who were shot during a campaign event on Thursday were fortunate to have avoided serious injuries.

“Wala pang 24 hours na-release na sa hospital si Kerwin. Yung dalawa kasi na other victims, yung kapatid niya tsaka yung isang minor ay daplis lang kaya mas mauna yun nakalabas,” he said.

(Kerwin was discharged within 24 hours. The two other victims were discharged even earlier)

Espinosa had testified against former Sen. Leila De Lima, who has been acquitted of drug cases filed against her during the Duterte administration that she has maintained were politically motivated.

He later said he was coerced into making false accusations against De Lima, a human rights defender and a critic of the Duterte drug war.

He said efforts to combat election-related violence are ongoing.

Leyte Provincial Police reported a 52% decrease in shooting incidents during the first quarter of 2025, with just 12 cases recorded, compared to 25 during the same period last year.

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