Senators score dismissal of charges vs. Peter Lim, Kerwin Espinosa

Senators scored Monday the decision of state prosecutors to dismiss the drug trading charges against businessman Peter Lim and self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa.

Senator Grace Poe said she was disturbed by the basis upon which the Department of Justice panel made its recommendation to dismiss the drug charges against Espinosa and others.

"For one, Kerwin Espinosa, himself, admitted before a Senate inquiry that he was indeed involved in the drug trade. How a self-confessed drug lord like Kerwin Espinosa be exonerated by the State, is perplexing," Poe said in a text message to GMA News Online.

"It reflects the sloppiness of the police’s investigation and case build up against these drug lords," she added.

She said if the statements of witness Marcelo Adorco are self-serving and contradictory as claimed by Acting Prosecutor General Catalan, this should have prompted prosecutors to use the entire machinery of the State's prosecution arm to gather more testimonial and object evidence, "rather than lazily relying on this single witness. Naghanap ba talaga ng ebidensya ang prosekyusyon?"

"If this DOJ decision is affirmed by the Secretary of Justice, this would be an insult to the brave policemen who have died in legitimate anti-drug operations," she said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II can still reverse the panel decision.

"While the panel of prosecutors has dismissed the case for lack of probable cause, it is still subject to a review by the secretary of justice. Hence, the same may still be reversed," Lacson said in a separate text message.

He also believes there is enough evidence against Espinosa, at least.

"Based on the evidence unearthed and presented during the Senate hearings, at least in the case of Kerwin Espinosa, I would like to think that probable cause would have been clearly established," he said.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Congress should look into the dismissal of cases and find out what it can do to strengthen the laws or find out if there was disregard of laws on prosecution.

"Hindi pwede 'yan (ganyang dismissal)," he said in a text message.

'Fake drug war'

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said the DOJ's exoneration of Lim and Espinosa is yet another proof that what the Duterte administration unleashed is a fake drug war.

"Kapag mahirap, walang tanong-tanong, patay agad. Kapag druglords at kumpare pa ni Duterte, may due process na, abswelto pa sa kaso. Kapag kay Sen. [Leila] De Lima na kalaban sa pulitika, kahit nagkabuhol buhol na ang mga scripted na testimonya, sampa agad sa korte para makulong. Mr. Duterte, pinaglololoko mo ang [taumbayan]," he said in a statement.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, said he was very surprised to know that even self-confessed drug lord Espinosa was exonerated.

"This runs counter to the administration's war on the drug lords," he said in a text message.

"This is a big setback in achieving a drug-free society in our country," he added.

Gatchalian said the government needs to work together to jail drug lords.

He said instead of pointing fingers and dwelling on technicalities, cooperation among agencies is the best method to clean up the streets of illegal drugs.

Earlier on Monday, Senator JV Ejercito said he is puzzled by the DOJ decision, and added that it sends mixed signals as regards the Duterte administration's seriousness in going after drug lords.

Prosecutors with the DOJ dismissed the drug trading charges against Lim and Espinosa for weak evidence. —KG/RSJ, GMA News