BAYBAY CITY, Leyte — A Leyte court has dismissed the murder case against Kerwin Espinosa and two others over a killing at a public market in Baybay City in 2024.

In a 37-page resolution, the Regional Trial Court Branch 14 of Baybay City said the case against Espinosa, Eddie Mar Demingoy Mitra alias “Rico Francisco,” and Marcelo Adorco alias “Loloy” was dismissed due to lack of probable cause. The ruling concerned the killing of Aldrin Tano alias “Watari” on September 4, 2024.

“This Court cannot find any plausible explanation why the inadmissibility of the confession was not noticed during the preliminary investigation when the New Rules on Preliminary Investigation adopted by the Department of Justice, DOJ Circular No. 15 dated July 16, 2014 includes the admissibility of evidence as one of the threshold in determining whether there is prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction that would warrant the filing of the case against the respondents,” the resolution read.

Presiding Judge Carlos Arguelles wrote the resolution, adding that the court saw no probable cause to pursue the charges against Espinosa and his co-accused.

The court, however, found that Ronald Bulak and an unidentified companion were likely responsible for the crime. An arrest warrant was issued against Bulak, with no bail recommended, while no warrant was issued for his alleged co-conspirator due to the lack of a formal complaint.

Espinosa, previously linked to drug allegations during the Duterte administration, surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation in Cebu in early February after an arrest warrant was issued. He was later released from the Cebu City Jail the same month after the court ruled it had no jurisdiction over his murder case.