Kerwin Espinosa, a controversial figure once tagged as a drug lord and now gunning for the mayoral seat of Albuera, Leyte, was shot on Thursday afternoon while preparing for a campaign rally in Barangay Tinag-an.
The incident happened around 4:30 PM, just before the start of his scheduled political gathering. Authorities said an unidentified gunman, believed to have been hiding in the ceiling of the venue’s stage, opened fire, hitting Espinosa and injuring a minor nearby.
Espinosa was rushed to a hospital in Ormoc City. As of this writing, there’s no official word on his condition.
The Philippine National Police has launched a full investigation and a manhunt is ongoing to identify and capture the suspect behind the attack.
Espinosa, who fled the country in 2016 and was later deported from Abu Dhabi after being linked to illegal drug operations, filed his candidacy in October 2024 to follow in the footsteps of his late father, Rolando Espinosa Sr., the former mayor of Albuera.
