Sinas: Cops not entitled to reward on Lim’s arrest

CEBU, Philippines — Police officers are not entitled to the P500,000 cash reward offered by the Department of Justice for the arrest of suspected drug lord and Cebuano businessman Peter Lim.

The clarification was issued yesterday by Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas. He said the cash reward is intended for informants who could provide information on Lim’s whereabouts that would eventually lead to his arrest.

“Unang-una the reward is for the agent dili sa pulis,” Sinas.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced last week that the government is ready to give a reward of P500,000 to anyone who can give information on the exact whereabouts of Lim. Guevarra also issued a warning to those coddling Lim that they could be prosecuted for obstruction of justice and other crimes.

The DOJ indicted Lim last August 10 after finding probable cause in the complaint filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for conspiracy, sale, trading administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, and transportation of dangerous drugs in violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Charged together with Lim are self-confessed drug trader Kerwin Espinosa, state witness Marcelo Adorco and Ruel Malindangan. Lim has been into hiding since the Regional Trial Court in Makati City issued a warrant for his arrest last August 14.

Joint police forces in Cebu had scoured Lim’s known addresses here to serve the warrant but the businessman was nowhere to be found.

The police returned the warrant to the court without Lim.  Sinas said they are now waiting for an alias warrant from the court to continue the manhunt against Lim who is now considered fugitive from law.

“We are waiting for the alias warrant, we are coordinating how we can help with the manhunt. Anything that PRO-7 can assist them we will be willing to arrest, to know if naa ba gyud si Peter Lim diri sa Cebu or sa Central Visayas or kong asa man siya,” Sinas said. (FREEMAN)