Kerwin Espinosa votes in Albuera despite recovering from shooting

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Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, who is running as mayor of Albuera town, Leyte casts his vote assisted by an aide at the Binulho Elementary School on Monday. —Bando Espinosa |Pundok Kausaban

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, a mayoral candidate in Albuera, Leyte, cast his vote early Monday morning despite still recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered last month.

Espinosa, 47, arrived at Binulho Elementary School around 6:30 a.m., assisted by his aide and accompanied by his security. He is running under the “Bando Espinosa, Pundok Kausaban” (Team Espinosa, Reform Group).

Espinosa, who has previously been tagged by authorities as a major drug personality in Eastern Visayas, was shot in the chest during a campaign sortie in Barangay Tinag-an on April 10. His sister and running mate, Mariel Marinay, and the daughter of one of their councilor candidates were also injured. All survived the attack.

READ: Kerwin Espinosa faces DQ case for challenging Gomez to a gunfight

He is running against Leyte board member Vincent Rama and incumbent Mayor Sixto de la Victoria.

Following the April 10 incident, the Leyte Police Provincial Office (LPPO) filed charges of illegal possession of firearms and violations of the election gun ban against seven police officers from Ormoc City who were in Albuera at the time. The officers claimed they were there to serve an arrest warrant on another individual.

Col. Dionisio Apas Jr., LPPO director, said nine of the 14 firearms the officers turned over were unregistered and lacked proper documentation.

He added that the initial charges may be followed by additional complaints as investigations continue.