Kerwin, Dayan face off today

Senators intend to find out who’s telling the truth when drug dealer Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa and Sen. Leila de Lima’s former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan face off at the resumption of the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs today.

The committee, chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, is conducting its third hearing into the killing of Espinosa’s father, Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte last Nov. 5 inside his jail cell in the province by policemen serving a search warrant.

The young Espinosa testified before the committee last month that he had given a total of P8 million in cash to Dayan from August 2015 to February 2016 allegedly to help bankroll De Lima’s senatorial campaign.

Espinosa said he had been introduced to De Lima through Dayan after receiving a phone call from Albuera police chief Jovie Espenido in August 2015. He also testified that he met with De Lima in Baguio in November 2015, and they had a picture together as proof.

Dayan testified before the House inquiry into the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) that he received what he believed was cash from Espinosa and delivered the same to De Lima on the months the drug lord had said the payoffs took place.

However, Dayan told the House hearing that the meetings occurred in 2014 and that it was De Lima who ordered him to meet Espinosa, whom he thought was an engineer.

Lacson said the contradicting testimonies may be resolved today as the hearing will present new witnesses as well as documentary evidence that will show who’s lying and who is telling the truth.

Lacson said some officials of the Baguio City police will testify on their investigation into the records of Alexandra Hotel where Espinosa claimed he and some relatives stayed before meeting De Lima.

Based on the hotel records, the room where Espinosa stayed on Nov. 19 was under the name of his cousin, who will also testify today.

Lacson also noted that in the last hearing, Espenido strongly denied Espinosa’s claim that it was he who called him up and told him that someone from De Lima’s staff would call him regarding contributing to her campaign.

“Based on the pattern of Dayan’s statements, it clearly appears that he’s saving himself because he apparently did not know (Espinosa was a) drug lord… and implicating her (De Lima) in the process,” Lacson told dzBB.

Lacson wants the hearing to establish exactly how Dayan and Espinosa got to know each other. But he noted that what was common in the two witnesses’ statements was the involvement of Espinosa and that money changed hands.

Lacson noted that it was also possible that Dayan did not inform De Lima of the February transaction.

He said he was also trying to get information whether De Lima and/ or Dayan were able to go around Leyte last year or in the months leading to the May 2016 elections that could establish links with the Espinosas.

Lacson said such questions could not be asked of De Lima, whose attendance at the hearing today remains uncertain.

“Whether or not she (De Lima) wants to field questions from fellow senators is her call,” he said.

Lacson also said the hearing will not likely tackle the relationship between De Lima and Dayan as the two have admitted to being lovers.

Lacson hopes today’s hearing will be the last on the matter.