Peter Lim: I have no plans to flee

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim belied reports he has gone missing or left the country to supposedly evade investigation after self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa tagged him in the illegal drug trade in Wednesday's Senate hearing.

"I'm here. I don't need to go abroad because I'm innocent. I believe truth will prevail," Lim told The FREEMAN in an interview Friday night in his office in Mandaue City.

Sandra Cam, president of the Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines, on ANC's news program Headstart yesterday said Lim should be charged and that President Rodrigo Duterte should order a manhunt operation against him.

Program host Karen Davila later tweeted that Cam told her Lim was missing.

Lim merely laughed off such rumors.

While Lim admitted he had scheduled trips abroad, particularly to Japan and the United Kingdom, he said he already cancelled these trips.

Last month, Cam told reporters that the Overseas Filipino Worker who tipped off authorities on the whereabouts of Espinosa was her secretary in Abu Dhabi.

Cam said she received a message from her secretary evening of October 8, saying Espinosa was in building in Abu Dhabi. The secretary even forwarded her a photograph of Espinosa and a Filipina nurse at an Indian store.

Once the information was confirmed by the immigration bureau in Abu Dhabi, Cam said she called Christopher "Bong" Go, special assistant to Duterte, who later revealed the information to the press, together with PNP Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.

On Headstart yesterday, Cam told Davila it was unfortunate that Duterte met Lim, the Cebuano businessman, in Davao City, several days after the president implicated a certain "Peter Lim" in the organization of the Chinese drug triad in the country.

"It's a lesson for Duterte. Not his fault. He did not know him, dinala siya ng isang negosyante from Cebu (Lim was brought to Duterte by a businessman from Cebu)," Cam said.

Lim begged off from commenting further on Cam's statements.

Hearsay

However, when sought for his reaction on Espinosa's testimony that linked him to drug trade, Lim said "it was highly unfair and a lie."

"Kerwin implicating me is clearly hearsay as he was informed about Peter by 'Jaguar' who is dead. Earlier, Secretary Aguirre said that Jaguar was Peter who was slain in June. The Albuera police chief (Jovie Espenido) peddled the story before that an aide of Kerwin said that Kerwin met with Peter abroad a number of times. Note that this is totally and very different from what Kerwin testified to earlier. He was unsure of Peter and while Jaguar was the source of what Kerwin knows of Peter, he did not say that he dealt directly with Peter," Lim explained.

"In contrast, Kerwin categorically stated that he met and personally dealt with Peter Co, Jaguar, and Lovely Adam Impal," he added.

The 61-year-old businessman also denied anew that he met Kerwin abroad to supposedly transact with him.

To prove this, he suggested that the Bureau of Immigration check his travel records and compare them with those of Kerwin.

He said he is just one of the many Peter Lims in the country as he once again raised the possibility that the "Peter Lim" Kerwin might have met overseas was a different one.

That there is no hold departure order issued against him, he said, is proof of his innocence.

Surprised

While watching the Senate proceedings in his office Wednesday, Lim said he was expecting to be cleared. He said he was surprised when Kerwin tagged him through Jaguar.

 Senator Manny Pacquiao, during the interpellations, threw the questions that led Espinosa to mention the name of the businessman as part of the drug trade.

"Kilala mo ba si Peter Lim?" Paquiao asked Espinosa.

"Narinig ko yan, Your Honor, through ni Jaguar," Espinosa responded.

"Is this Peter Lim the boss of Jaguar or supplier of Jaguar?" the senator asked.

"Boss or supplier halos pareha lang yan kasi pag-boss, supplier mo talaga siya," replied Espinosa.

"So, si Jaguar, ang pagkakaalam mo, doon kumuha ng droga kay Peter Lim?" Paquiao reiterated.

"Yes, Your Honor," Espinosa said.

"Ito ba ang Peter Lim na humarap kay president na taga-Cebu?" the senator asked further.

"Yes, kasi sabi ni Jaguar sa akin, 'Pre, may bago tayong boss na taga dito lang sa atin sa Cebu.' So, 'yung taga-Cebu na Peter Lim," Espinosa answered.

"Ito ba 'yung Peter Lim na may-ari ng Hilton Trucks, Hilton Truck, iyon ba yung Peter Lim na yan?" Paquiao asked.

"Yun ang sinabi ni Jaguar sa akin," Espinosa said. (FREEMAN)