Leyte Regional Trial Court has dismissed the murder charges filed against Albuera Mayor Kerwin Espinosa and two other accused in connection with a 2024 killing in Baybay City, ruling that prosecutors failed to establish probable cause to proceed with the case.
In a 37-page resolution dated March 31, 2026, the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 in Baybay City ordered the dismissal of the charges against Espinosa, Eddie Mar Demingoy Mitra (alias “Rico Francisco”), and Marcelo Adorco (alias “Loloy”). Presiding Judge Carlos Arguelles said the evidence presented by prosecutors did not sufficiently show that the three men were responsible for the crime.
The case stemmed from the fatal shooting of Aldrin Tano, also known as “Watari,” at a public market in Baybay City on Sept. 4, 2024. Investigators initially linked Espinosa and his co-accused to the killing, prompting authorities to file murder charges before the court.
However, in dismissing the complaint, the court ruled that there was “no amount of probable cause” that would justify the continued prosecution of Espinosa and the two other accused. The judge noted that the available testimonies and pieces of evidence did not sufficiently connect them to the commission of the crime.
While the case against Espinosa was dropped, the court found that another suspect, Ronald Bulak, and an unidentified accomplice may have been responsible for the killing. The court ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant against Bulak and recommended that he be held without bail pending trial.
The dismissal is the latest development in a series of legal proceedings involving the Albuera mayor earlier this year. In February 2026, Espinosa voluntarily surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation after a Cebu court issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the same murder complaint.
Shortly afterward, the Cebu Regional Trial Court ordered his release after determining it had no jurisdiction over the case because the alleged crime occurred in Leyte. The court directed that the case be returned to the proper jurisdiction for further proceedings.
Espinosa, who was elected mayor of Albuera in 2025, has long been a controversial figure in Philippine politics due to his previous admission of involvement in the illegal drug trade and his appearances in congressional investigations related to the country’s anti-drug campaign.
With the latest court ruling, Espinosa is cleared of the murder charges in the Baybay case, although authorities said the investigation into the killing of Tano will continue as the trial against the remaining suspect proceeds.
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