Kerwin Espinosa Wins Mayoral Race Albuera
Kerwin Espinosa emerged as the winner in the mayoral race in Albuera, Leyte during the May 2025 midterm elections. According to partial and unofficial tallies reported early Tuesday morning, Espinosa secured 10,939 votes. His closest rivals, Vince Rama and incumbent Sixto dela Victoria, received 7,081 and 2,761 votes respectively.
Plans to Address Peace and Order
Espinosa vowed to prioritize peace and order once he takes office. He emphasized his commitment to tackling the illegal drug problem in Albuera. “Ang uunahin ko, peace and order at bigyan ng solusyon ang droga dito sa Albuera. Linisin namin ang droga dito sa aming lungsod. I-zero tolerance namin ang droga,” he declared.
(My priority is peace and order and providing a solution to [illegal] drugs here in Albuera. We will eradicate drugs here in our town. We will have zero tolerance for drugs.)
He also expressed a strong desire to prove his innocence regarding past accusations. “Gusto ko lang sugpuin at para mapatunayan na hindi talaga ako naging drug lord. Naging biktima lang ako sa mga…alam na natin,” Espinosa added.
(I just want to eradicate it [drugs] and prove that I was not really a drug lord. I was just a victim of…we already know.)
Background and Legal Issues
Espinosa had admitted involvement in the illegal drug trade during a Senate inquiry in late 2016. However, in 2018, he submitted a counter-affidavit to state prosecutors stating that his previous statements did not prove he was a drug lord without concrete drug evidence.
In June 2024, a court in Baybay, Leyte dismissed a drug case filed against him. Still, Espinosa faces ongoing charges related to money laundering in Pasay, as well as two reopened cases for illegal possession of dangerous drugs and firearms.
Recent Incident During Campaign
On April 10 this year, Espinosa was wounded in a shooting incident while attending a campaign event in Barangay Tabgas. Despite this, his campaign continued, culminating in his recent electoral victory.
For more election-related updates, visit Filipinokami.com.