MANILA — State prosecutors gave Cebu-based businessman and alleged drug lord Peter Lim, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, and several others until May 30 to respond to the drug complaint filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) against them.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Lim and his co-respondents were supposed to file their counter-affidavits but Lim’s legal counsel, lawyer Magilyn Loha, told the panel that his client failed to appear and could not submit his counter-affidavit due to threats to his life.
Loha cited that last March 24, Lim’s brother, Wellington, got ambushed but survived.
“We could not risk that he (be) brought here because of the threat,” Loha told the panel.
Only Espinosa was able to appear and file his counter-affidavit before the panel.
Apart from Lim and Espinosa, also named as respondents in the complaint were convicted drug lord Peter Co, alleged drug supplier Lovely Impal, alleged drug dealer Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Ruel Malindangan, Noel “Jun” Pepito, and 11 others, only known by their aliases “Amang, Ricky, Warren, Tupie, Jojo, Jaime, Yawa, Lapi, Royroy, Marlon, and Bay”.
Impal and Co also failed to attend the hearing because they are both incarcerated: Impal in the Iligan City Jail, and Co at the New Bilibid Prison.
The DOJ panel of prosecutors is set to issue an order for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Corrections to present the two during the next hearing on May 30.
Lim’s co-accused Miro and Pepito died in separate incidents.
Under the complaint, Lim and his co-respondents are accused of violating Section 26 (b) in relation to Section 5 (Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals) of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The PNP based its complaint on the sworn statements issued by Adorco who was arrested on July 8, 2016 during a drug buy-bust operation in Albuera, Leyte. (PNA)
