WATCH CLOSELY, DOJ ASKS
Justice department issues an immigration lookout bulletin order on Peter Lim, Kerwin Espinosa and 6 other persons. This won’t stop their trips but will require immigration bureau to keep an eye on where they’re going, when, and for how long.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (Ilbo) against suspected drug lords Peter Lim, Roland "Kerwin" Espinosa and six others.
Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes said the order placing Lim and Espinosa under the Bureau of Immigration's (BI) monitoring was issued on July 11.
The six other drug suspects were identified as Peter Co, Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Lovely Adam Impal, Ruel Malindangan, and Jun Pepito.
In a text message, immigration spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang said the order was in connection with the criminal case filed against them for allegedly violating Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Likelihood of escape
"In view of the gravity of the offense filed against the above- mentioned individuals, there is likelihood that they might leave the country to place themselves beyond the reach of the lawful processes of the concern offices," the order read.
The charges for violation of Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5 of RA 9165 against Lim and seven others were filed before the DOJ last July 5, said Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang, the prosecutors handling the case.
According to the prosecutors, the preliminary investigation on the complaints filed by the Philippine National Police Criminal Detection and Investigation Group (PNP-CIDG) will begin on Aug. 14 at 10 a.m.
Ilbo's purpose
The Ilbo was issued based on the letter-request of Police Supt. Richard Verceles, officer-in-charge of the CIDG Major Crimes Investigation Unit, to the National Prosecution Service.
The DOJ issues an Ilbo to moni- tor travel details of a person under investigation. It does not have the power to bar a subject from leaving the country.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier identified Lim and Espinosa as among the drug lords operating in the Visayas.
Espinosa is the son of the late Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was allegedly involved in illegal drugs. The older Espinosa was killed by CIDG operatives during the November 2016 shootout inside a jail in Baybay, Leyte.
In July 2016, Duterte met with the Cebu-based businessman in Davao City and advised the latter to prove that he is not the Peter Lim identified as a member of a drug triad in the Visayas.
The National Bureau of Investigation, which was ordered to investigate Lim's alleged links to illegal drugs, has yet to issue its findings on its probe.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach Lim and his counsel, to no avail.