After being labeled Kerwin's supplier: No truth to drug links - Lim

CEBU, Philippines - After a witness linked him to Kerwin Espinosa, son of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., the camp of Cebu businessman Peter Lim has belied accusations that he supplied illegal drugs to the mayor's son.

In a statement, Lim's lawyer, Ramos Esguerra said the allegations linking Lim to Kerwin are baseless.

"Without preempting the investigation being conducted by the NBI, my client, Peter Go Lim, reiterates that reports linking him to the illegal drugs trade is totally baseless," the statement read.

"Likewise baseless is the latest news that Mr. Lim is the supposed 'boss' of one Kerwin Espinosa and was the one "who supplied" the latter with drugs. Truth be told that according to Kerwin's father, Kerwin was being supplied with illegal drugs by a certain Peter Co," it further read.

It was Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, chief of Albuera police, who earlier identified Lim as the one who allegedly arranged to get illegal drugs from China, while Kerwin distributed the drugs to Bohol, Eastern Visayas and Ozamiz City.

Espenido's statement was allegedly based on the testimony of a certain Marcelino Adorco, who used to be Kerwin's driver and bodyguard.

Adorco was among those arrested during a buy-bust operation conducted by the Albuera police in the house of the Espinosas.

Mayor Espinosa, who voluntarily surrendered before PNP chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa allegedly admitted that his son was involved in the illegal drug trade and went on to say the supplier of his son was detained drug lord Peter Co.

Co had also been named by President Rodrigo Duterte as a drug triad member operating in Luzon and Metro Manila. He is reportedly still directing drug operations even as he is in prison.

However, Espenido insisted it was Lim who provided drugs to Kerwin and not Co.

Esguerra said the information coming from one of the men of Kerwin is unreliable.

"The alleged information coming from one of the men of Kerwin recently arrested linking Mr. Lim to Kerwin is absolutely unreliable having been characterized by the Albuera police chief as "intelligence" reports, hence, not based on first-hand knowledge, and requires an honest to goodness validation," the statement further read.

It added "Mr. Lim nonetheless expresses confidence that he will be cleared in time, and will continue to extend his cooperation to the authorities in their investigation and the efforts of President Duterte to rid the country of the menace of illegal drugs." (FREEMAN)