Kerwin lawyer shot

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The lawyer of alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and his father Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., was gunned down by still unidentified assailants in Barangay Lumbang 2, Tacloban City, around 2:30 p.m. yesterday. Also killed was the lawyer’s companion at the time, a 15-year-old girl.

Rogelio Bato Jr., 42, was found dead slouched in the driver's seat of his maroon Toyota Hi-Lux pickup with license plate number YHH 461. The girl, who was still in her school uniform, was identified as Angelica Bonita, based on her ID of a high school in the city.

Investigators said Bato was shot multiple times in the leg and chest, while the girl, who was sitting beside him in the front seat, was hit in the left side of her face.

The vehicle had at least 13 entry bullet holes from an M-16 rifle and a .45 cal. pistol.

There were speculations that Bato may have known his assailants because the window at his side was partially open. However, Senior Superintendent Rolando Badi, director of the Tacloban City Police Office, said witnesses reported the assailants, who were riding a white Hi-lux pickup, tailed, overtook, and then blocked the lawyer's vehicle upon reaching an area with only a few houses around.

Witnesses told police and media they saw the men from the white pickup disembark and approach the lawyer's vehicle and then open fire. When responding policemen arrived, the assailants had fled. The engine of Bato’s pickup was still running and had to be turned off.

Investigators recovered from the crime scene 18 spent M16 shells, six .45 cal. shells, and three cellphones from inside the victims' car, along with files of documents from the lawyer and the girl. The police said they have yet to ascertain the contents of the cellphones as part of the investigation.

Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, director of the Police Regional Office-8, said one of Espinosa's men, who is under the witness protection program of the police in relation to the cases filed against the Espinosas, told the police Bato's car was given to the lawyer by Kerwin himself.

Beltejar added that Bato, a native of Samar province but residing in Tacloban City, has been the lawyer of the Espinosas for a long time. He also handled the cases of Espinosa’s men who were arrested for drugs.

Beltejar later confirmed to The FREEMAN that Bato himself was among the police's high-value targets under the Espinosa group, meaning that he may have been involved in the drug transactions of the Espinosas.

There were speculations that Bato was killed so that nobody would represent the Espinosas anymore, especially with the various drug-related cases filed against them before the Leyte Provincial Prosecutors Office.

Leyte Provincial Prosecutor Maria Arlene Huñamayor-Cordovez said they are now conducting preliminary investigation into the complaints, and that a subpoena for Mayor Espinosa and his son to appear before them was sent out last August 17.

When contacted for his comment, Mayor Espinosa said some people are bent on wiping him and his men out.

"They just started by killing our lawyer. Soon we will be the next," he said, but declined to elaborate.

Lawyer Leo Giron, a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Tacloban, said he heard rumors that Bato was involved in drugs, although he said there is no evidence to support this at all. He also said the murder may scare other lawyers and make them think twice about handling the cases of drug suspects.

Bato's death brings to seven the number of people killed in relation to illegal drugs since Oplan Tokhang was implemented in Tacloban City.

"We are saddened because of the child involved, but we are still happy about the Oplan Tokhang program of President Rody Duterte. Had he not started this war on drugs we would not know that there are too many drug personalities in the country and a number of them were killed," said Mayor Cristina Romualdez who went to the crime scene. — Miriam Garcia Desacada, Lalaine M. Jimenea, and Eileen Nazareno Ballesteros(FREEMAN)