During a Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing on Monday, Police Colonel Jovie Espenido reaffirmed his earlier claim that then-PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go called him to exclude Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro from President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial “narco-list.” Espenido’s statements have reignited scrutiny over the drug list, which named various officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
According to Espenido, Go initially contacted him, instructing him to leave Navarro’s name off the list, stating the mayor had been cleared. Dela Rosa reportedly followed up, reinforcing the instruction. Dela Rosa, now a senator, acknowledged Espenido’s account but clarified he could not recall the conversation.
Espenido also testified that Navarro once questioned his refusal to accept “monthly” gambling payouts, which other police chiefs in the area allegedly received. Go questioned Espenido’s credibility, noting that much of his testimony relied on secondhand information from the late Mayor Navarro, which Espenido admitted was “hearsay.”
The hearing also revisited Espenido’s affidavit, where he described police protocols during the Duterte administration’s drug war, including quotas to visit suspected drug users’ homes and rewards for successful drug arrests.