Cong. Richard Gutierrez and Leyte mayoral candidate Kerwin Espinosa

MANILA, Philippines – Leyte mayoral candidate Kerwin Espinosa fired back at Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez for taking a jab at the self-confessed drug lord’s recent assassination attempt saying it looked “scripted.” 

Gomez warned the people of Leyte not to be swayed by Espinosa and questioned the mayoral hopeful’s credibility given his background on illegal drugs. 

“Do not believe somebody like him who has no credibility and a self-confessed drug lord. He will not do anything good for mankind,” he said.

An award-winning actor, Gomez dismissed the ambush as scripted, criticizing Espinosa’s acting in the shooting incident. 

“Honestly, para sa akin scripted yung ambush me. Ang pangit ng acting, ang pangit ng pagkagawa,” Gomez said. 

Espinosa called out the lawmaker and reminded him to go slow on casting judgments. Instead of engaging in a dirty word war, Espinosa responded very religiously. 

“Hinay-hinay lang sa paghusga, Congressman. Holy Week ra ba karon. Pag-isipan mo ang iyong mga salita at gawa, dahil hindi gusto ng Panginoon ang kayabangan at pagmamataas. Pareho lang tayo, tao at may mga kasalanan. Ang tinitingnan ng Diyos ay ang kabutihan ng ating puso at kung paano natin tratuhin ang kapwa,” said Espinosa in a statement. 

In return, Espinosa accused Gomez of having “a record of abuse” while citing himself as someone who has built relationships with people in his town. 

“Sabi mo na wala akong magawang mabuti sa kapwa? Tingnan mo ang sarili mo sa salamin. Alam ng mga tao sa distrito natin kung sino sa ating dalawa ang may record na pang-aabuso, at kung sino sa ating dalawa ang mas nakikipagkapwa tao,” said Espinosa. 

Espinosa was shot during a campaign sortie in Barangay Tinag-an in Albuera town Thursday.

According to police, Espinosa was waiting for his turn to speak when an unidentified gunman hiding in the ceiling of the stage shot him from behind. 

Apart from Espinosa, his sister Mariel Espinosa-Marinay running for Vice Mayor as well as a minor were also wounded in the incident.