Cops assure Peter Lim’s safety

CEBU, Philippines — The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas has guaranteed the safety of businessman Peter Lim if he surrenders amid the pending warrant of arrest against him for drug charges.

A police official in the region has appealed to Lim to surrender and face the drug charges in court.  Senior Superintendent Angelito Dumangeng, PRO-7 Deputy Director for Operations, said Lim will be safe in their custody.

“We will ensure his safety. He is entitled to security para masagot niya ang accusation against him in court. We are encouraging him, if he wants to surrender, PRO-7 will give him the security,” Dumangeng said.

Dumangeng said they already have a copy of the warrant of arrest against Lim. He said all law enforcement agencies were also furnished copy of it.

According to Dumangeng, all units are helping each other to locate the businessman. He admitted they are not sure if the accused is still in Cebu.

A hold departure order was already issued against Lim to keep him from leaving the country.

“A warrant is there, we will be performing our duty…Nasaan ba siya? Hahanapin namin because he has a warrant and we are mandated to serve the warrant. Kung nandiyan and gusto niyang harapin ang kaso niya that is better,” Dumangeng said.

Dumangeng said there is no need to form a Task Force to look for Lim. Instead, he urged the community to help lookout for Lim and report immediately to authorities if sighted.

Lim is charged with two counts of violations of Section 26 (B) in relation to Section 5, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He and his alleged cohorts were charged for conspiracy, sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, and transportation of dangerous drugs.

The complaint filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group stated that Lim and 21 others conspired in the illegal drug trades of Kerwin Espinosa, a self-confessed drug lord from Albuera, Leyte. The illegal transactions were allegedly done in various places in Makati City, Region 7 and 8 sometime in February 2013 up to August 2015.

The facts of the case disclosed that the Group of Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa also known as “Boss K” was a transporter, trader, seller, and distributor of illegal drugs in some areas they controlled in Regions 7 and 8 (Bohol, Samar, Northern and Southern Leyte, Biliran and some parts of Cebu).

Lim together with Peter Co, who is among the high-profile inmates in National Bilibid Prison and Lovely Adam Impal, among others, were allegedly the drug suppliers of Espinosa.

Sometime on July 8, 2016, Marcelo L. Adorco of Albuera, Leyte, and four others were arrested during a buy-bust operation by Albuera policemen.

Following their arrest, Adorco confessed that the source of the shabu and firearms seized from them was a certain “Daddy Onikk,” nickname of the late mayor Rolando Espinosa, and his son Kerwin.

He also mentioned the names of Lim, Co and a certainly Lovely as the alleged suppliers.

In his judicial affidavit dated August 4, 2016 signed by the provincial prosecutor, Adorco elaborated the alleged conspiracy between their group and their alleged suppliers to transport shabu and distribute, sell and trade them in areas they controlled in Region7 and 8.

Adorco said that on February 5, 2013 their group was able to transact 20 kilos of shabu from Peter Co  and another 20 kilos of shabu form Peter Lim on February 16, 2013. The transactions happened at a parking lot in Makati City. —  FPL (FREEMAN)