Manila: Albuera mayor Rolan "Kerwin" Espinosa on Thursday surrendered to the Cebu office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). NBI spokesperson Palmer Mallari confirmed that Espinosa surrendered after Judge Merlo Pasco Bagano of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 issued on Feb. 4 an arrest warrant against him and four others for murder.
According to Philippines News Agency, Espinosa's co-accused include Ronald Bulak a.k.a. "Junjun", Eddie Mitra a.k.a. "Rico Francisco", Marcelo Adorco a.k.a. "Loloy", and an alias "Ronel". No bail was recommended for the release of Espinosa and his co-accused.
In his Facebook post, Espinosa stated he would face the arrest warrant, and he requested prayers from his constituents in Albuera. Espinosa and his sister, Mariel, were elected as mayor and vice mayor of Albuera in the 2025 elections.
The Espinosas have previously been associated with illegal drugs in the province during the war on drugs led by former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte. In November 2016, Kerwin's father, former mayor Ronald Sr., was killed while in detention at the Baybay City, Leyte sub-provincial jail. Policemen claimed he attempted to shoot it out with law enforcers serving a warrant of arrest.
