Peter Lim charged for alleged involvement in Kerwin Espinosa's narcotics business

Police investigators have slapped criminal charges against Cebuano businessman Peter Lim before the Department of Justice (DOJ) over his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade operations of Kerwin Espinosa in Central and Eastern Visayas.

Excerpts of the complaint for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading filed by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) identified Lim, who goes by the alias Jaguar, as the businessman who surrendered to President Rodrigo Duterte in July last year to deny any drug links.

The complaint covered drug transactions from February 2013 to August 2015 involving at least 90 kilos of shabu sourced from Lim and convicted drug lord Peter Co, delivered at a grocery store in Makati City, and distributed by Espinosa's men in Bohol, Samar, Northern and Southern Leyte, Biliran and some parts of Cebu.

Specifically, 20 kilos of shabu were sourced from Co on February 5, 2013; 20 kilos from Lim on February 16, 2013; and 50 kilos from Lim on June 7, 2015.

Four similar transactions and deliveries with Lim as supplier allegedly took place in 2014 but the amount of shabu delivered was not indicated.

“Indeed, there was widespread illegal drug trade in Regions 7 and 8 during the years of their existing conspiracy prompting no less than the President of the Philippines to announce those involved in the illegal drug trade to include Peter Lim, Peter Co, Rolan ‘Kerwin’ Espinosa, and the latter’s father, Rolando Espinosa, to name a few,” the complaint stated.

"This fact of pronouncement of the President and existence of drug menace in some or most part of the country is of public knowledge and/or capable of unquestionable demonstration," it added.

The police leaned on the affidavit executed on August 4, 2016 by Marcelo Adorco, an alleged confidant of Espinosa, following his arrest, along with four others, for possession of illegal drugs and several firearms on July 8, 2016. 

Adorco "further elucidated the conspiracy existing among their group and their suppliers, i.e. to transport illegal drugs (shabu), and distribute, sell and trade them in their areas controlled in Regions 7 (Central Visayas) and 8 (Eastern Visayas)," the complaint said.

Apart from Lim, Espinosa, Co and Adorco, the police slapped criminal charges for violation of Section 26-B in relation to Section 5 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act against the following:

• Lovely Adam Impal, one of Espinosa’s alleged drug suppliers and a protegè of Peter Co
• Jermy aka “Amang”
• “Ricky”
• “Warren”
• “Tupie”
• “Jojo”
• Ruel Malindangan
• “Jaime”
• Jun Pepito, a village councilor in Albuera, Leyte
• “Yawa”
• “Lapi”
• “Royroy”
• “Marlon”
• “Bay”
• "John Doe” (alleged delivery man of Co)
• “Peter Doe” (alleged delivery man of Lim)
• “Robert Doe” (alleged delivery man of Lim)

The DOJ has already summoned the respondents to appear at the preliminary investigation slated to begin on August 14.

During the preliminary investigation, the respondents will be given a chance to air their side which the prosecutors have to take into account in deciding whether to dismiss the complaint or press charges in court.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also placed the respondents, except for those identified through aliases, under the immigration lookout bulletin in order to monitor any attempt on their part to leave the country. —KG, GMA News