Businessman seeks police detail: Lim fears for life

CEBU, Philippines - With his life gripped in fear, Cebu businessman Peter Lim is now seeking security detail from the police, three days after he was slapped with drug trafficking charges before the Department of Justice.

For the first time after his name was tagged in the illegal drug trade by the Duterte administration last year, the 67-year-old businessman, often known for being a media-shy person, granted interviews where he expressed his resolve to face the DOJ inquiry.

“It's false. It's a big lie, and it's fabricated. I've never been in that business and I will never be in that business,” Lim, swarmed by reporters, said in response to the accusations linking him to drugs.

Lim’s lawyers, Alex Francis Lopez and Miguel Gabionza, reiterated their client’s commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs and to cooperate in any investigation set on him.

“He cooperated then, and he will cooperate now and in the days to come. Mr. Lim only prays that the Filipino people reserve their judgment on him as it is not easy to be accused of a crime that he never committed,” the lawyers said in a statement.

They said Lim has not fled the country and does not have plans of fleeing.

Based on the statement, Lim will face the DOJ on August 14 when it starts its probe into what has been termed as a “conspiracy” in the illegal drug trade in the country, participated allegedly by Lim and 21 others, including self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, son of the late Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

Lim expressed fear for his life, saying he will request for police escort if he could do so.

“I am scared of my life because of the false accusations. I don't think police will give me escort, poor me. If I can, I will,” he said.

To recall, Crime Investigation and Detection Group-7 Director Royina Garma earlier said Lim is welcome to make a written request for police escort addressed to the regional director.

She said they are open to the idea, but it has to go through a proper process from the higher ranks.

Family statement

Lim, who is battling a renal failure, also said his family has been affected by the allegations.

“All of them are worried.  My children are so affected, and grandchildren are affected also. You know, it's not easy to be accused by something you have never done,” he said.

The family’s press statement read: “We cannot express how deeply affected we are by the reports that unfairly molded the public’s perception that our father is a drug lord. Our family has suffered so much from this horrible experience.

“The accusations hurled against Peter Lim will carry on until the next generation of our family, as we fear our children will also be named ‘apo ng druglord.’

“We also fear that our father will have to carry this stigma for the rest of his life. We can only pray for him and support him in this difficult time.

“Please reserve your judgment against our father. We are confident that he will soon be cleared of these baseless allegations and the country will know that Peter Go Lim is a loving father, doting lolo, a caring uncle, a loyal friend, and a God-fearing Cebuano.”

Conspiracy?

Investigation into Lim’s alleged links in the illegal drug trade stemmed from a complaint filed before the DOJ last month by the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Major Crimes Investigation Unit.

In the complaint, the CIDG asked DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III to investigate Lim, a resident of Mabolo, Cebu City; a certain Lapi, a certain Royroy, and a certain Marlon, all from Cebu City; Peter Co of Bucor, Muntinlupa City; Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, a certain Jeremy, Ricky, Warren, Tupie, Jojo, Ruel Malindangan, a certain Jaime, councilman Jun Pepito, all from Barangay Binulho, Albuera, Leyte; Lovely Impal of Makati City; a certain Yawa of Bohol; a certain Bay; and unidentified persons, for allegedly conspiring with one another in the illegal drug trade.

Adorco was one of those arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Philippine National Police of Albuera, Leyte on July 8 last year.

Following their arrest, Adorco confessed that the source of the shabu and firearms seized from them was a certain “Daddy Onikk,” the alleged nickname of the late Mayor Espinosa, and his son Kerwin.

Adorco told the police that the Espinosas got their supply of drugs from Peter Co, Peter Lim, and Lovely.

Adorco claimed there was a conspiracy in the transportation, distribution, and selling of dangerous drugs in Central and Eastern Visayas.

The drug trades were done in various places in Makati City, to Region 7 and 8, from February 2013 up to August 2015.

He alleged that in February 2013, the Espinosa group was able to transact 40 kilos of shabu from Peter Co, intended for the two regions covering Bohol, Samar, Northern and Southern Leyte, Biliran, and some parts of Cebu.

On June 7, 2015, Lim allegedly delivered 50 kilos to their group in Makati City after Kerwin and Lim’s agreement in Thailand on June 4, 2015. Adorco said he was with Kerwin when the latter met Lim and the latter’s bodyguard in Thailand.

“That the Peter Lim who had supplied those staggering amounts of shabu is the same Peter Go Lim, a businessman from Cebu City, who was named by, and later surrendered to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in July 2016,” Adorco’s sworn statement read.

CIDG said based on the certification issued by the Bureau of Immigration and stamped passport of Adorco, he was indeed out of the country on June 4, 2015.

“Verily, Marcelo Adorco appears to be the close confidant of Rolan ‘Kerwin’ Espinosa who even accompanied the latter abroad in at least two separate occasions, obviously for drug transactions purpose. Thus, Adorco’s knowledge and first-hand information on their drug operations involving other respondents cannot be over-emphasized,” read the complaint.

In a Senate hearing last November, Kerwin also linked Lim to the drug trade. — with Mylen P. Manto (FREEMAN)