DOJ files drug charges vs Kerwin, Peter Co
The Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday filed drug charges before a Manila court against self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa and three other drug personalities.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the charges were filed after the second panel of prosecutors found probable cause to indict them with conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade in violation of Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
Apart from Espinosa, those who have been charged were convicted drug lord Peter Co who is currently detained at the national penitentiary; Espinosa’s detained alleged associate Marcelo Adorco; arrested drug trader Lovely Impal; and Ruel Malindagan.
Fadullon said each of the accused were charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) and one count each of the same case before the Makati City RTC.
Last July 19, the second panel of prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera released the resolution of the preliminary investigation on the complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group's Major Crimes Investigation Unit (PNP-CIDG-MCIU) against the respondents which included Cebu-based businessman and suspected drug lord Peter Lim.
Navera said the second panel is still drafting the resolution involving the accusations against Lim.
The second panel earlier granted Lim’s motion for a separate preliminary investigation.
“As we speak the resolution is already being drafted. So as soon as it is ready we will release it,” he had said.
The second panel was created in March by then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II after the first panel of prosecutors-composed of Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John Humarang and former Assistant State Prosecutor and now Judge Aristotle Reyes—issued a resolution dated Dec. 20, 2017 dismissing the complaint due to weak evidence which relied solely on the statements of Adorco.
In his order dated March 19, Aguirre said “the Resolution dated December 20, 2017 dismissing this instant case be vacated and the above-mentioned case be remanded to a new panel of prosecutors for purposes of conducting the continuation of the preliminary investigation/clarificatory hearing and to allow the complainant and respondents to submit additional pieces of evidence in support of their respective positions.”
Navera said the second panel made a different finding after more pieces of evidence were presented during the preliminary investigation.
“There were pieces of evidence before that were not presented which were presented before our panel. So this actually changes the equation,” Navera said. (Jeffrey G. Damicog)