Case dismissed
Surprise, surprise. The DOJ dismissed the case against Peter Lim, an alleged drug lord accused by no less than President Duterte himself. When Duterte released his first list/matrix of persons involved in illegal drugs, Peter Lim seemed to be at the top of the list. Yet just after a few days, he was granted an audience with Duterte in his satellite office in Davao City. He vehemently denied the accusations. People raised eyebrows about his being granted an audience with Duterte, since he even threatened to kill him, in his usual braggadocio style. Instead, he was advised by the president to clear his name with authorities. His case then seemed to go silent. Until now.
According to the DOJ, the evidence gathered by the CIDG -the agency that filed the case- was weak. Even the witness presented by the CIDG seemed to have inconsistencies in his testimony. Even Kerwin Espinosa, the son of Rolando Espinosa Sr. who was killed by Marvin Marcos' CIDG team while in his cell, was exonerated of drug charges. This despite his testimonies at the Senate hearings where he stated he was involved in drug trafficking. Others also known to be in the drug trade were also exonerated.
No less than Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, the police officer who pursued the case against Kerwin Espinosa, has expressed dismay on the dismissal of the case. Espinosa was even picked up in Abu Dhabi after becoming a fugitive following the arrest and death of his father. All that points to weak evidence? It also appears that in 2016, DOJ Sec. Aguirre said Duterte was wrong about including Peter Lim in his drug list, since the real "Jaguar" was Jeffrey Diaz, who was killed by police. So much for all these drug lists. Why then did it take so long to clear his name, along with everyone else? The decision was apparently handed down in December of last year, but was only recently disclosed to the public. Was there a reason to withhold it from the public?
While thousands have been killed in the PNP's war on drugs, mostly the poor and impoverished who allegedly fought back prompting the police to defend themselves, it is evident that these privileged people were given a chance to clear their names. Social media has erupted upon hearing the news. The DOJ is now being asked left and right to explain why the cases were dismissed. It has actually cast doubts on the government's war on drugs, accusing it of being selective. Something many have known all along.
By the way, if Kerwin Espinosa has been cleared of drug charges, what happens to his testimony now against Sen. Leila De Lima? Does it still carry enough weight to pin her down? Is Sen. De Lima more guilty of illegal drugs than Kerwin Espinosa, which is why she remains incarcerated? When will her case move forward, since Peter Lim and Kerwin Espinosa's case seems to have moved in record time?
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