ALBUERA, Leyte Mayor Kerwin Espinosa underwent surgery for an old wound in a Manila hospital.
A Publiko source said Espinosa arrived at the Manila Doctors’ Hospital Sunday afternoon for a surgery.
It was earlier reported that he was rushed to the hospital due to a gunshot wound.
But the mayor’s camp clarified that he was not shot and he went to the hospital for checkup and treatment.
Espinosa, long known as a controversial figure, had been previously implicated in the illegal drug trade during the Duterte administration.
In 2016, then-President Rodrigo Duterte named him among the alleged “narco-politicians,” a label that brought him into the national spotlight.
He was arrested in Abu Dhabi in 2016 and deported to the Philippines, facing multiple drug-related cases. However, in 2022, the Department of Justice dismissed some of the charges against him for lack of evidence.
Espinosa had since sought to build his political career, eventually winning as mayor of Albuera.
Authorities have yet to provide details on the circumstances of the shooting, including the suspects and possible motives. Police are investigating the attack.
