Filipino drug suspect to be repatriated from UAE

ABU DHABI // Drug suspect Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr is expected to be sent back to the Philippines on Friday.

A team led by Philippine National Police anti-illegal drugs group head senior superintendent Albert Ferro, arrived in the capital earlier this week to fetch Espinosa, who is being held in Al Wathba jail.

Espinosa, one of the first suspected drug lords named by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte when he took office in June, was arrested in Abu Dhabi on October 16 after Interpol issued an arrest warrant.

Constancio Vingno Jr, the Philippine ambassador to the UAE, said Espinosa and the police officers were due to land in Manila on Friday morning,

“However, I’m not privy to his flight details and other arrangements being made for his return to the Philippines,” said Mr Vingno.

Espinosa will be placed under custody at the national headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City, TV network GMA News quoted PNP chief director Ronald dela Rosa as saying.

The Philippines’ justice department also has a separate request for Espinosa’s custody.

Last week, Mr Vingno met the drug suspect whom he said was “distraught” and fearful for his life after his father, Rolando Espinosa Sr, was shot dead in his cell in jail in Leyte on November 5.

rruiz@thenational.ae