Lim a no-show at DOJ hearing
STANDS BY MISTAKEN IDENTITY DEFENSE
Businessman Peter Lim did not appear in the first hearing of the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the drug charges against him in Manila yesterday.
Instead, he sent his lawyers to receive the complaint and supporting documents filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
The DOJ panel composed of Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang gave Lim until August 24 to file his answer and to submit his counter-affidavit personally.
Lim's lawyer, Majilyn Loja, said Lim stands by his earlier statement that he was simply mistaken as “alias Jaguar,” one of those tagged by the police in the illegal drug trade in Central Visayas.
“He is not that person. He has always denied it. In fact, he presented himself (before the National Bureau of Investigation earlier) saying that he is not the alias Jaguar,” Loja told reporters in an interview after the hearing.
“He will be here to face the charges against him,” Loja assured.
Lim is facing charges of sale, administration, dispensation, trading, delivery and transportation of illegal drugs under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act).
Lim surrendered to President Rodrigo Duterte last year after his name was mentioned as among those behind the narcotics trade in the country. He denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Self-confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa also appeared before the DOJ as one of the respondents in the complaint.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier revealed that Espinosa may turn state witness in the drug charges against Lim.
The DOJ chief said Espinosa may opt to submit an affidavit detailing the participation of Lim in the illegal drug trade and get immunity from prosecution.
"The inclusion of Kerwin Espinosa in the criminal case, in the drug offense, can be discharged before the actual trial or even during trial of the case," he explained.
To recall, Espinosa tagged Lim as top illegal supplier in Central Visayas during Senate inquiry on illegal drug trade last year.
Aguirre, however, stressed that the eligibility of Espinosa would depend on assessment of investigating prosecutors - especially since the law requires that a state witness should not be the most guilty of the crime charged and that his or her testimony is necessary for the successful prosecution of the case in court.
"The panel (of prosecutors) should assess the statements and evidence first. I would not want to make a definite decision on this yet because I might be the one to be called to make the final judgment," he explained.
Apart from Lim and Espinosa, also facing drug charges are inmate Peter Co, Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Lovely Adam Impal, Ruel Malindangan and Jun Pepito.
The other respondents were also required to answer their charges and file counter-affidavits in the next hearings on August 17 and 24.
Espinosa, confessed drug dealer and son of slain drug lord Mayor Rolando Espinosa, is currently under government's witness protection program after his testimony in the drug charges against detained Sen. Leila de Lima. Co, on the other hand, is a high-profile inmate in the New Bilibid Prison recently transferred back to the maximum security compound.
Impal was also arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency last January.
The PNP complaint tagged Lim as the alleged supplier of illegal drugs to the group of Espinosa.
It identified Co and Impal as among those who supplied illegal drugs to Espinosa's operation in Central and Eastern Visayas.
The DOJ has already issued earlier a lookout bulletin order (LBO) against Lim and other respondents.