CEBU CITY – With the midterm elections just a few days away, a former police officer, who was considered the “poster boy” in the illegal drugs war of the previous administration, appealed to voters in Albuera town in Leyte province to vote wisely.

RETIRED Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido has asked self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa to back out from the mayoral race in Albuera town, Leyte province. (Calvin Cordova)

Retired Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido expressed concern over the decision of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa to run as mayor in Albuera.

Espenido said voters in Albuera should really think hard if they want a candidate who was once involved in the illegal drugs trade to lead the town.

“Discern and don’t bring back your town to its dark days,” Espenido told reporters in a recent interview.

Espenido served as chief of police of Albuera from July to December in 2016.

He said it was during his stint in Albuera that he was able to dismantle the illegal drugs trade in the town.

“We were able to establish his (Espinosa) involvement in illegal drugs. In fact, we took care of them. At the height of the drug war, we allowed them to stay in our police station for protective custody,” said Espenido.

Kerwin was arrested in Abu Dhabi, United Srab Emirates in October 2016 for illegal drug charges. His father, Rolando, then the mayor of Albuera, was the first one to be arrested for illegal drug possession.

Rolando was shot dead in November 2016 while in detention at the Baybay City Provincial Jail.

“To the voters of Albuera, I worked hard to clear the town of illegal drugs. We disbanded the Espinosa group in less than a month. You have to look into the situation, will you allow Kerwin to win even if he has yet to prove that he has already changed for the better?” said Espenido.

Espenido also appealed to Kerwin.

He said Kerwin should have not joined politics while he has yet to prove that he is no longer involved in illegal drugs.

“He has been cleared, there are no charges against him but there is an appeal in the Supreme Court. But for me, I would like to talk to him and advise him not to join politics yet. It's public knowledge that he was involved in illegal drugs and he admitted it. I don’t judge people but for him to clear his name, he should not join politics yet,” said Espenido.

Espenido added that Albuera would be more peaceful if Kerwin would back out from his candidacy.

“The situation is still very volatile. Because it cannot be avoided that people would think that he has some personal interest that’s why he wants to become mayor. He should prove first that he is already a reformed person and he could do it by not joining politics,” said Espenido.

Espenido said it would be a long process for Kerwin to prove that he is no longer into illegal drugs.

Doing good things for Albuera in private capacity would help improve Kerwin’s image, Espenido said.

Kerwin, who survived a shooting incident during a recent campaign sortie, has said that he is no longer involved in illegal drugs. He promised that if elected mayor, he would fight illegal drugs in the town.

“He doesn’t have to join politics for him to prove that he is already reformed. Not joining politics would speak volumes of his claims that he is no longer into illegal drugs,” Espenido said.