DOJ CHIEF ‘SHOULD BE SACKED’
Prosecutors’ dismissal of complaints against Peter Lim dismays some Cebu officials; Rama, meanwhile, hopes he’ll be cleared soon, too
We did our best.
This was the statement of Supt. Royina Garma, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7, after a Department of Justice (DOJ) panel dismissed the conspiracy and drug trafficking case against Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim.
“We were not involved in the investigation on Peter Lim but our role was to provide information pertaining to his assets in Cebu and Region 7. Our office was tapped to provide all information and data on Lim’s assets and that was our role in the investigation of Peter Lim’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs,” Garma said.
The prosecution panel found there wasn’t enough proof to send the case to court but the justice secretary still has to review their resolution.
“There was lack of evidence to support the statements of those personalities involved in the illegal drug trade, so most likely, the prosecutor didn’t appreciate the statements of these self-confessed drug lords and perhaps the appreciation could’ve been heavier maybe if the evidence was not a mere confession but corroborated with other evidence,” the CIDG 7 chief said.
She admitted she had reservations about the affidavit of self-confessed Eastern Visayas drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., one of those also cleared of the complaint.
“I was not shocked but I also have my reservations with the case. I have read the affidavits of Kerwin Espinosa and there were some areas that needed corroboration,” Garma said.
The CIDG 7 chief clarified that their unit was tasked to check on Lim’s assets in terms of possible money-laundering.
“Hopefully, after review, the appreciation of the evidence will be different and these personalities will be given a chance to undergo trial. There are evidences na hindi enough na ma-articulate mo in papers (that you can’t fully explain on paper) so an explanation should be made in court that will shed light on the doubts and gray areas,” she said.