Espinido sends chilling warning to narcos: Kung gusto mo madaliin ang buhay mo, sana magkita tayo

Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido/photo courtesy of Philstar

Newly promoted Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, deputy city director for operations of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), has sent a stern warning to anyone involved in dealing prohibited drugs in Bacolod.

“Sa mga gumagawa pa rin ng kalokohan sa illegal drugs sana mag-i-stop na. Life is beautiful, you should reconsider that your life is not yours, and also to maintain a good relationship with your family. Pero kung gusto mo talagang magmadali, sana tayo magkita para may resulta,” Espenido said during an interview on Wednesday night at the Bacolod police headquarters.

The controversial police official said that he saw drug pushers and users as just victims being used and taken advantaged by powerful people just to earn money.

“Sayang ang kinabukasan ninyo. Dapat sana kayo mag-surrender. Tugisin nating yung nag-utos. Yung nag-finance, yun talaga ang pinaka the best,” he added.

Espenido, a dreaded police officer in the government’s anti-drug campaign reported for duty in Bacolod city on Wednesday afternoon, who has been assigned as chief of Ozamiz City Police Station for more than two years.

He led the operation in Ozamiz City, where Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others were killed during a shootout with policemen in a pre-dawn drug raid.

As operations chief of Bacolod Police, Espenido hopes to meet the expectations of Bacolodnons, although he will not directly lead the city police’s campaign against illegal, he has been looking forward to his new assignment, based on their comments on social media.

He encouraged the people of Bacolod to pray, which he had been doing to carry out his duties as a good policeman.

“I can’t accomplish my target, my mission if I don’t depend on God’s help. Also, include our President (Rodrigo Duterte) in your prayers, for strength to manage the problematic institutions in our government,” he added.

The newly assigned deputy head of BCPO, first reported to the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 (Western Visayas) headquarters in Iloilo City, before going to Bacolod.

Espenido’s promotion from major to lieutenant colonel was formalized when he received his new rank insignias from Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, PRO-6 regional director, and Col. Marlon Tayaba, chief of PRO-6 directorial staff on Wednesday.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Monday said the President was “very much aware” of Espenido’s assignment to Bacolod.

Leonardia believed Espenido’s presence in Bacolod was “meant to intensify, expand, and maybe hasten” the efforts of the city police. Considering Espenido’s expertise in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Source: Politiko