Cases against Peter Lim, Kerwin Espinosa and other high-profile drug personalities

Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 65 orders arrest of Peter Lim over drug case, Edu Punay of the STAR reports.

The arrest warrant was made public following the Department of Justice's request on Monday before the Makati court to issue a hold departure order against Lim. A hold departure prevents his possible flight from the country and charges connecting him to the drug trade.

The Department of Justice finds probable cause to charge Kerwin Espinosa, inmate Peter Co, Lovely Impal and Ruel Malindagan with conspiracy to commit drug trading.

“In its resolution, the prosecution panel composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera, Anna Noreen Devanadera and Prosecution Attorney Herbert Calvin Abugan found sufficient positive allegations of Marcelo Adorco identifying Espinosa, Co, Impal and Malindagan as his cohort to charge them with conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade,” the statement from the DOJ reads.

The resolved case excludes allegations against Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim, as the panel is conducting a separate preliminary investigation for the respondent. Lim’s case is pending resolution.

The DOJ orders probe into the public prosecutors who dismissed drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa and presidential campaign supporter Peter Lim.

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte warned that DOJ chief Vitaliano Aguirre would replace Lim and Espinosa in jail if the two were cleared: “Pag nakawala yan si Lim at Espinosa, siya ang ipapalit ko.”
 

The DOJ orders probe into the public prosecutors who dismissed drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa and presidential campaign supporter Peter Lim.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has formed a new panel to review the dismissal of drug cases against Kerwin Espinosa and Peter Lim, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque says on his social media accounts.

PRRD: ( on DOJ dismissal of case vs Lim and Espinosa) I will invoke my power of supervision and control and will review dismissal.

— Harry Roque (@attyharryroque) March 13, 2018

The dismissal of the case, which the Department of Justice panel said was due to weak evidence from the Philippine National Police, has stirred outrage on social media and from senators, especially since Espinosa previously confessed his involvement in the drug trade.

Authorities had tagged him and his father Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa as the biggest drug lords in the Visayas. The elder Espinosa was killed by police while in detention in a Leyte jail. Police said he was killed in a shootout but the National Bureau of Investigation said it was a "rub out".