Court seizes Kerwin Espinosa’s assets

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — A Manila court has forfeited the multimillion- peso assets of self-confessed drug dealer Mayor Kerwin Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte, believed acquired through money laundering and years of illegal drug trafficking.

This is the largest court-ordered forfeiture of assets in the history of law enforcement against illegal drugs in the country, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Aside from Espinosa, the court also ordered the seizure of the assets of international drug financier Sally Ang Nina, who uses the aliases Sharon Xia Lim, Xie Ming Fen, Xie Mei Rong, Tian Gang Shi, Sarah Lee Jessica and Evelyn See Ting.

The court ruling was an offshoot of a multi-agency, intelligence-driven collaboration among the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the PDEA, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The money and properties Espinosa reportedly laundered and amassed from illegal drug activities had been subjected to court forfeiture proceedings.

Among Espinosa’s assets seized by the court are six real estate property located in Albuera and Ormoc in Leyte as well as in Misamis Oriental, 13 vehicles, several bank accounts, watercraft including jetskis and a boat, and firearms.

The court said the assets were acquired through years of illegal drug and money laundering activities, and were hidden under the names of proxy owners identified as Grace Caparoso, Rogelio Caparoso Artemio Magno, Sherlita Pelicano and Laura Yu.

Among Nina’s forfeited assets are P51 million in cash deposited in various banks, investment funds, trust funds and several vehicles.

In 2016 during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Espinosa was arrested and confessed his participation in drug trafficking.

When Duterte’s term ended, Espinosa recanted his statement.

Between 2020 and 2024, Espinosa has been acquitted of several drug cases by regional trial courts in Manila, Makati and Baybay City, Leyte. Two of the cases have been revived by the Court of Appeals.

Espinosa ran and won as mayor of Albuera in May this year.

In one of the campaign rallies of his party in April, Espinosa was shot, but survived.

Forfeiture despite acquittal explained

Legal experts explained that the requirement for “preponderance” of evidence in a civil forfeiture case is lighter than in a criminal case where guilt beyond reasonable doubt must be established. Civil forfeiture can therefore still be pursued despite acquittal in a criminal case.

AMLC executive director Matthew David lauded the information exchange among concerned government agencies, which he said strengthened the cases against Espinosa and Nina.

PDEA chief Isagani Nerez said the ruling not only seized the illegal assets of organized crime syndicates, but also stopped their influence and operations.