Kerwin Espinosa's right-hand man killed in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines (Philippines News Agency) — The alleged right-hand man of suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa was killed in a buy-bust operation by narcotics agents in Cebu City on Thursday afternoon.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency shot a Julito Prak in Barangay Hipodromo, PDEA-7 Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said.

Ruiz said his men fired at Prak who allegedly attempted to shoot them. The suspect was shot in the chest and was rushed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City where he was declared dead on arrival.

At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, a poseur-buyer was inside the suspect's house to buy drugs.

After the transaction was completed, the agent signaled to the other agents outside to enter the house.

One of the agents shot Prak after he allegedly pulled out his .38 long-barreled revolver.

Allegedly seized from Prak were 50 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu worth P360,000.

PDEA 7 agents invited Prak's son for questioning.

"Prak was in charge of hiding Kerwin's drug stocks," Ruiz said.

Prak and Espinosa, whose father Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. surrendered Philippine National Police last week, grew up together in Hipodromo.

Kerwin allegedly controls the drug trade in Eastern Visayas.

According to PDEA 7's intelligence report, Prak distributed shabu in Hipodromo and in the neighboring barangays of Mabolo and Carreta.

"He hired other people to sell the shabu," Ruiz said in Cebuano.

Ruiz said Prak was a known neighborhood toughie and his customers came from all walks of life.