PALO, Leyte, Philippines – A government prosecutor and five others were charged yesterday for allegedly receiving payoffs from suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, son of alleged “narco mayor” Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera town.

Facing administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman-Eastern Visayas branch were Ormoc City Prosecutor Marcelo Onate, jailguard Gilbert Fernandez, Councilor Nelson Pepito and village chiefs Marjorie Dumaguit of Mabini in Ormoc City, Norman Sta. Iglesia of Talisay in Albuera, and Andres Cruz of Barangay Sherwood.

The filing of charges against the respondents was a result of an investigation conducted by the local police, according to Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, acting regional police director.

“More government officials and a few civilians will also be charged, as investigators are still evaluating the pieces of evidence against them,” Beltejar said.

Earlier, 22 police officers were charged before the Police Regional Office 8’s Internal Affairs Service.

The officers have been recalled from their assignments and placed in floating status. They were ordered to file their counter affidavits yesterday.

The testimonies of the witnesses were supported by pieces of evidence, including the logbooks of Espinosa’s bookkeeper, which allegedly contained the names of the respondents.