New DOJ chief to review Espinosa, Napoles cases

Newly-appointed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he will review the dismissal of the drug complaint against Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. and his co-respondents as well as the state witness status given to alleged pork barrel scam mastermind, Janet Lim Napoles.

“I will review previous actions on the Espinosa and Napoles cases,” said Guevarra. “That’s top priority in view of the public interest,” he added.

The new Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary assured he will study carefully the cases to reach his own judgment on what actions

should be taken. “I will not prejudge till I’ve formed my own conclusion,” he said.

Prior his resignation, former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II drew flak over the dismissal of the drug complaint against Espinosa and his co-accused and for placing Napoles “provisionally” under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

The DOJ has already issued a certification which stated that “Janet Lim Napoles has been provisionally covered by the Witness Protection Security and Benefit Program (WPSBP) effective February 27, 2018.”

The certification, issued when Aguirre was still DOJ secretary, is signed by the Program Director, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Nerissa Molina Carpio.

However, Aguirre refused to disclose the contents of the sworn statements of Napoles which are being used in the deal to turn her into a state witness.

On the other hand, Espinosa and his co-accused seemed to have free pass as a DOJ panel of prosecutors issued a December 20 resolution dismissing the illegal drugs trafficking charges filed against them by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Major Crimes Investigation Unit (PNP-CIDG-MCIU). The DOJ panel cited weak evidence in the complaint.

Apart from Espinosa, those who have been named as respondents in the complaint are convicted alleged drug lord Peter Lim, convicted drug lord Peter Co, alleged drug supplier Lovely Impal, drug dealer Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Ruel Malindangan, Jun Pepito, and several others who are only known through the aliases Amang, Ricky, Warren, Tupie, Jojo, Jaime, Yawa, Lapi, Royroy, Marlon, and Bay.

After receiving criticisms over the dismissal of the complaint, Aguirre had already ordered the December 20 resolution “vacated” and has formed a new panel of prosecutors to resume the conduct of the preliminary investigation over the complaint.