Espinosa's retraction has no weight in De Lima case, says prosecutor general

The retraction of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa has no bearing on the cases lodged against Sen. Leila de Lima, according to Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento.

He was referring to the counter-affidavit subscribed by Espinosa before the Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday,  Espinosa disowned his sworn statements during the Senate joint committee hearings on the killing of his father Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

He said that he was “coerced, pressured, intimidated and seriously threatened” by the police to implicate the senator.

“Any and all of his statements given during the Senate hearings, or in the form of sworn written affidavits, against Senator Leila de Lima are not true. He has no dealings with Sen. de Lima and has not given her any money at any given time,” the document stated.

Malcontento, in a statement to GMA News, said Espinosa is not a witness in the case against De Lima.

With this, Malcontento added, the action of Espinosa has no effect on the cases that are filed against De Lima. -- BAP, GMA News