TACLOBAN CITY – Col. Reydante Ariza, Ormoc City Police Office (OCPO) chief, was relieved of duty after Rolan Kerwin Espinosa tagged him in his assassination attempt.
On Friday, April 11, Kerwin claimed that six cops were also involved in the shooting incident that left him, his sister and running mate Mariel, and a girl wounded. He also named Lt. Col. Leonides Sydiongco, Sergeant Alrose Astilla, Corporal Arvin Jose Baronda, Corporal Jeffrey Dagoy, and Corporal Alexander Reponte, and Patrolman Maricor Espinoa whom he claims are assigned at the OCPO and not in Albuera town.
Brig. General Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson, confirmed that seven cops who are considered as persons of interest have been placed under the custody of the Leyte Provincial Police Office (LPPO).
Kerwin was shot in his right chest when he was waiting for his turn to speak in a campaign rally in Brgy. Tinag-an, Albuera, Leyte on Thursday (April 10). Espinosa, who is running for mayor of Albuera, Leyte, claimed that police officers from Ormoc City were seen by lawmen from Albuera where the direction of the gunshot came from. He said the gunshot came from the direction of a house owned by an assistant district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“What a coincidence na nandoon talaga sila at sa balita ko sa panahon ni Duterte sila ang liquidator (What a coincidence that they are there and I learned that they were liquidators during the time of (President) Duterte),” Espinosa added. He said two Sports Utility Vehicles were seen in a house with Kerwin’s tarpaulin placed on them.
Fajardo also confirmed that guns were found inside the getaway vehicle that the gunman may have ran to after the shooting. “When the (Albuera) police entered the compound, they saw some cops there,” Fajardo said.
“Wala akong pinagbinibintangan kung sino hayaan natin ang pulisya ang mag-imbestiga sa krimen (I am not suspecting anyone. Let the police investigate),” Kerwin said.
Espinosa is in a three-cornered fight against incumbent Mayor Sixto dela Victoria and Board Member Vince Rama, the brother-in-law of Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez.
Meanwhile, Espinosa said he will continue his campaign and file cases against the perpetrators. He called on the Commission on Elections to provide them with security details and agree to place Albuera under Comelec control due to alleged “paid cops.”
Espinosa asked that there would be no whitewashing and asked police to conduct a fair investigation of the incident. He also appealed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to conduct a fair investigation of the incident. (By Marie Tonette Marticio / EV Mail APRIL 7-13, 2025 issue)
