Kerwin Espinosa victory a ‘surprise,’ says Leyte gov

CAMPAIGN TRAIL Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, who is seeking the post of mayor of Albuera, Leyte, waves to supporters during a campaign sortie. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday called on the Philippine National Polie to resolve the shooting of Espinosa. — Photo by Roel T. Amazon/Contributor

TACLOBAN CITY—Like many others, Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla was surprised by the election victory of confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa as mayor of Albuera, a town once dubbed as the “drug capital of Eastern Visayas.”

Petilla, who won his reelection for a second term, emphasized that while Espinosa’s win was unexpected, he respected the will of the people.

READ: Kerwin Espinosa is new Albuera, Leyte mayor

“I was also at awe, just like many others, as to why the people of Albuera chose him. He must have [done] something. I’m trying to figure that out myself,” he said on Tuesday.

“But if they voted freely—and I mean freely—then we have to respect that. He should be treated as a duly elected mayor,” he added.

Espinosa won by a wide margin, receiving 14,919 votes against Board Member Vincent Rama who got 7,001 votes, and reelectionist Mayor Sixto de la Victoria, who was backed by Petilla, but only managed 2,761 votes.

Asked whether he believed Espinosa could fulfill his campaign promise of freeing Albuera from illegal drugs, Petilla replied: “I can only hope and pray.”

Petilla said he would work with Espinosa the same way he did with all other mayors in the province to ensure the delivery of programs and services from the provincial government.

“As long as he does things legally—no illegal activities, no deception—then we need him because the delivery of services in Albuera requires the cooperation of the mayor, down to the barangay [chair],” Petilla said.

“He will be treated as a mayor because he is now the [duly elected] mayor. But he will also be held to the same standards of performance I expect from all other mayors,” he added.

Espinosa could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

According to a close aide on Tuesday, Espinosa has been confined in a hospital to undergo full treatment after he was wounded during an assassination attempt while campaigning on April 10.

Espinosa and his late father, former Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., were linked to the illegal drug trade by former President Rodrigo Duterte. /cb