Kerwin’s former aide killed after resisting arrest

Ormoc City Police operatives killed a former trusted aide of Kerwin Espinosa, identified as Max Miro, who allegedly resisted arrest when about to be served with an arrest warrant Saturday evening at a house in Purok 4 of Bantigue village in the city.

Senior Inspector Ian Salvador Po, chief of the Ormoc Police Intelligence Bureau, said the team arrived at the house of Miro’s common-law wife to serve the standing warrant for murder against the suspect, but the latter resisted, pulled out a gun and fired it at the policemen.

This prompted the policemen to return fire, hitting Miro as a result. “We rushed him to the nearest hospital, OSPA Farmer’s Medical Center, where he was declared dead on arrival,’ Po said.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered from inside the house one firearm of undetermined caliber, loaded with magazine containing four live bullets. Eight empty shells of still undetermined caliber were found scattered at the yard near the house door.

Po said the arresting team—led by Superintendent Harry Sucayre of the Regional Drugs Enforcement Unit—consisted of elements from the Leyte Police Provincial Office, the City Drugs Enforcement Unit and the City Intelligence Bureau.

The warrant of arrest against Miro was issued by Judge Carlos Arguelles of the Regional Trial Court Branch 14 of Baybay City on January 5, 2017.

Miro was one of the trusted men of Kerwin who was asked by the latter’s father, former Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. to surrender to the police.

Miro obliged and on September 2016, after months of hiding in Cebu and Davao, surrendered to the police a 9mm pistol and an estimated three kilos of shabu worth P24 million. He claimed Kerwin ordered him to surrender the items. .

No case was filed against Miro over the surrendered items but he was charged for murder, along with Kerwin now detained in National Bureau of Investigation and an alleged cohort who is still at large.