From the arrest to the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa

Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte in the illegal drug trade, was killed by policemen during a raid in his jail cell at the Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail in Leyte early Saturday.

Espinosa, also called "Daddy Onik" by the police, had submitted himself to authorities in August after Duterte gave him and his son Kerwin 24 hours to surrender.

Duterte also gave a "shoot on sight" order against the father and son if they will fail to surrender.

The Espinosas were suspected to have links to retired police officials involved in the drugs trade and Kerwin was also said to have ties with Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz, the top drug personality killed in a police operation in June.

Here is a timeline of events related to the arrest of the Espinosas and the death of the mayor.

June 21, 2016: Kerwin leaves the country. He reportedly flew to Malaysia but was arrested months later in the United Arab Emirates.  

August 1, 2016: Duterte gives Espinosa and Kerwin 24 hours to surrender due to suspicion about their involvement in the illegal drug trade. If they fail to surrender within 24 hours, Duterte said a “shoot-on-sight“ order will be issued against them.  

August 2, 2016: Espinosa surrenders to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa before the 24-hour deadline given by Duterte lapsed. The mayor admits that his son was a top drug trafficker and that his son allegedly received drug supply from Peter Co, who is detained at the New Bilibid Prison.  

Espinosa says his son Kerwin, who was still being hunted down, had undergone plastic surgery and looked different from the photo earlier shown to the public. The PNP chief told Kerwin to surrender or die if he resists arrest.  

August 3, 2016: Six gunmen with suspected links to the mayor and his son are killed following an encounter with authorities around the homes of the Espinosas in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Binolho, Albuera town.  

August 4, 2016: Bato says Kerwin sent surrender feelers to authorities.  

Julito Prak, Kerwin’s alleged right-hand man and who ranked fourth on the watchlist of PDEA Region 7, is killed in Cebu City. Authorities recovered .38-caliber revolver from the site and seven sachets of suspected shabu.

The CIDG Region 8 and the Albuera Police Station file criminal charges against the Espinosas. 

August 5, 2016: Bato warns Kerwin that he should surrender or his family would have to face the consequences.  

August 6, 2016: The Espinosas leave the "White House."

August 10, 2016: Police seize at least 11 kilograms of shabu and raw materials for bombs in a raid at the ancestral home of Espinosa in Albuera, Leyte.  

August 11, 2016: Edgar Allan Alvarez, said to be one of Kerwin’s drug sources, is killed inside the Abuyog Penal Colony in Leyte.  

August 16, 2016: Espinosa goes back to work as Albuera town mayor.  

August 23, 2016: The Espinosas' lawyer, Rogelio Bato is killed along with his 15-year-old girl companion in an ambush in Tacloban City.  

August 24, 2016: Espinosa seeks police custody and promises to bare the powerful connections of his son Kerwin.  

August 27, 2016: The PNP takes custody of Espinosa due to threats to his life. This as the mayor submitted a sworn an affidavit naming other officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade in Eastern Visayas.  

August 30, 2016: Jesus Tulin Jr. alias Loloy, a bodyguard of Kerwin, surrenders his firearm, .45 Colt pistol, to the police in Albuera, Leyte. 

Meanwhile, Espinosa makes public some details of his affidavit, revealing that several police officials, congressmen, and a senator are among Kerwin’s cohorts in the drug trade.  

August 31, 2016: The police takes custody of at least three people who could corroborate the statement of Espinosa about the cohorts of his son Kerwin. 

September 13, 2016: Albuera, Leyte Police head Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido turns over to Bato documents detailing the alleged transactions of Kerwin.  

September 23, 2016: Max Mero, an alleged right-hand man of Kerwin, surrenders to the Albuera police three kilos of shabu worth about P24 million.  

September 26, 2016: June Canin, main man of the drug operation in Eastern Visayas and Kerwin’s ally, surrenders to Albuera police. 

September 30: Kerwin’s ex-wife Annalou Llaguno is shot dead in Cebu City while riding a motorcycle with her boyfriend.  

October 5, 2016: Police arrests Espinosa for alleged possession of 11.4 kilos of illegal drugs and firearms reportedly found in his home during a raid in August. The mayor was detained at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay City after his arrest.

October 12, 2016: Espinosa pleads not guilty in the case concerning illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives.

The firearms and ammunition were recovered from his ancestral house in August, aside from the more than P90 million pesos worth of shabu and bomb components.

Espinosa’s son Kerwin is also charged with the same offense.  

October 17, 2016: Kerwin is arrested in the United Arab Emirates and was placed in the custody of Abu Dhabi police.  

October 25, 2016: Bato says it will take 15 days to a month to bring Kerwin back to the Philippines from UAE.  

October 26, 2016: Two suspected members of a drug syndicate allegedly headed by Kerwin, are arrested by National Bureau of Investigation agents in Tagbilaran, Bohol.

November 2, 2016: Bato says he wants Kerwin to be detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City once he has been brought back into the country.

November 5, 2016: Espinosa and drug suspect Raul Yap are killed in a shootout inside the Baybay City Provincial Jail.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 are serving search warrants on the two detainees for separate cases when they allegedly fired at the cops and a shootout ensued. 

— Veronica Pulumbarit/ALG, GMA News