BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Controversial former anti-drug czar Jovie Espenido claimed “someone” in the National Police made a mistake for including his name in the so-called President’s list.
Espenido, in a news conference that lasted more than an hour at the police headquarters here, apologized to his officers for speaking out after news of his relief broke out.
“I’m sorry but it’s my name that’s already being dragged here,” Espenido said in a mix of Bisaya and Filipino as he thanked PNP Director General Archie Gamboa who invited him to a meeting at Camp Crame.
Mixing Bible quotes and anecdotes, Espenido recalled major arrests he had made in various assignments in the country since 2016, among them the Parojinogs in Ozamiz and the Espinosas in Albuera, Leyte.
“The information dragging me into the list of supposed drug protectors could have come from anywhere in the service – the PNP, Army, PDEA,” Espenido said when asked by DNX during the news conference where the information could have come from.
The so-called Presidential Rodrigo Roa Duterte or PRRD list, sources say, is drawn up by Malacanang based on the president’s own intelligence network.
More stories later.
