Image capture from GMA News’ YouTube video - Vast properties of Espinosa family made public
- Assets owned include three high-end houses, jet skis, pythons, fighting cocks and a hotel resort
- Town police chief said the family is engaged in the illegal drug trade
MANILA, Philippines – In the outskirts of the sleepy rural town of Albuera, Leyte stands the mini-kingdom of the Espinosa family.
A GMA News video shows the Espinosa’s vast holdings including three mansions, hundreds of fighting cocks, a collection pythons, and several jet skis.
A hotel resort was also identified as belonging to the Espinosas.
The patriarch of the family, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., has denied using drug money to acquire his properties or win his mayoral seat although he admitted his son Kerwin was engaged in the illegal drug trade.
Family Business
In an interview with ABS-CBN, however, Albuera town police chief CInsp. Jovie Espinido said it is well-known among intelligence circles that the Espinosa family business consisted of illegal drugs.
“Alam na alam kung sino talaga iyang pamilya Espinosa. That is a family business of Espinosa, iyung illegal drugs,” he said.
[It is very well-known who the Espinosa family are. That is a family business of Espinosa, the selling of illegal drugs.]
Espinido, who became police chief on July 18, said everybody in town knows the real colors of the Espinosas.
“Maraming balita talaga. Maski bata, matanda, sino-sino, alam nila before and after the election kung sino si Espinosa, gaano katindi si Espinosa, iyung grupo nilang mag-ama,” he said.
[There have been many reports. Even the children, the elderly, anyone, they knew before and after the election who Espinosa is and how powerful he, his son and their group are.]
Espinido added that the Espinosas employed goons to scare the locals into submission.
“Ginagamit talaga nila ang puwersa nila para sa susunod hindi na magbigay ng pera, kasi takot na,” he said.
[They are using their power so they won’t have to give money next time because everybody is scared of them.]
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