A KEY witness in the drug charges filed against self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa has retracted all his allegations against the latter and other personalities, including detained outgoing Senator Leila de Lima.In his counter-affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice on May 24, 2022, Marcelo Adorco said he was forced, due to fear for his life, to issue an affidavit implicating Espinosa and other individuals in the illegal drug trade.He was referring to the affidavit he issued on August 2016 and June 2017 where he said that Espinosa and his father, late Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, were involved in illegal drug operation in Bohol, Samar, northern Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran and parts of Cebu in connivance with alleged drug lord Peter Lim and convicted drug lord Peter Co.In a supplemental affidavit, Adorco claimed that Lovely Impal, whom he said was the younger Espinosa’s secret lover that time, is their link to Peter Co, who continued his drug operations while detained at the New Bilibid Prison.“Ang mga affidavit po na ‘yon ay ginawa po ng isang pulis sa loob ng Albuera Police Station sa Albuera, Leyte sa utos ng dating hepe ng Albuera Police na si Police Chief Inspector Jovie R. Espenido,” said Adorco.Adorco was arrested in a buy-bust operation on July 28, 2016.He said Espenido told him that his life was in danger and the only remedy was for him to testify against Espinosa in order for him to get into the government’s witness protection program (WPP).Adorco said the police official also promised him financial assistance while under the WPP.He said the legal implications of his affidavit was also not explained to him by a counsel, particularly that it can also be used against him.He said none of these promises were fulfilled.Adorco is a co-accused of Espinosa in one of his drug charges before the Department of Justice.Attached is another counter-affidavit he submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in 2020 where Adorco denied serving as bodyguard-driver to the younger Espinosa, making him not privy to his daily activities.Adorco denied personally knowing Impal, Co, Lim and De Lima despite his earlier claims, including that he gave De Lima drug money from Espinosa during a meeting in Baguio City.He said a photo of Espinosa together with Hazel Mago and De Lima, which was presented as evidence, only came from Facebook.He said the photo was only given to him by the police.“Wala po akong personal na kaalaman tungkol sa sinasabing pagkikita raw ni Kerwin at ni Secretary De Lima sa Baguio City,” said Adorco.While Adorco was not presented as witness in the drug charges against De Lima, Filibon Tacardon, her legal counsel, said his recantation further shows that the charges filed against the senator were all trumped-up cases made to silence her.“Lumalabas na ang totoo kaya patuloy ang panawagan namin sa DOJ na muling suriin ang mga kasong isinampa nila laban kay Senator De Lima at tuluyan nang ibasura ito at palayain ang mahal nating senadora,” he said.In May, Espinosa also admitted that the allegations he made against De Lima, particularly in accepting millions worth of drug money from him to fund her senatorial race and in manipulating the illegal drugs trade inside the New Bilibid Prison, were all lies, which he fabricated due to the coercion, pressure and intimidation by the police.Former Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) officer-in-charge and deputy director for intelligence of the National Bureau of Investigation Rafael Marcos Ragos also recanted his claims against De Lima, particularly the delivery of money to her house from the convicted drug lords inside the NBP while she was serving as the secretary of justice.Ragos said he issued lies following the orders of then Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and due to the threat against his and his family’s lives. (SunStar Philippines)