Aguirre creates panel to review dismissal of drug raps vs Peter Lim, others

FILE: Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (PRIB Photo by Albert Calvelo/Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Justice Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday, March 13, created a new panel that will review the resolution that dropped drug charges against businessman Peter Go Lim and his co-respondents.

In a message to reporters, the Justice secretary said the formation of a new panel will handle the review of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) resolution on Lim’s case as well as the motion for reconsideration filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that appealed to the junking of criminal complaints against the alleged drug lord and several others.

According to Aguirre, the new panel is composed of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, Assistant State Prosecutor Ana Noreen Devanadera, and Prosecution Attorney Herbert Calvin Abuga.

Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan Jr., who approved the initial resolution, will not participate in the probe.

The resolution, which was made by the DOJ prosecutors in December last year but was only known to the public earlier this week, cleared Lim, self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa, Peter Co, Marcelo L. Adorco, Max Miro, Lovely Impal, Jun Pepito, Jermy, Ricky, Warren, Tupie, Jojo, Jaime, Yawa, Lapi, Royroy, Maron, Bay, John Doe, Peter Doe, Robert Doe, and several unidentified others from criminal charges due to lack of evidence.

Aguirre earlier clarified that even though his agency dismissed drug trade and conspiracy charges against Lim and his co-respondents, it does not mean that they are off the hook.

“Under our present procedure in the DOJ, there are possible avenues to review this case, either by a motion for reconsideration, or ultimately, by way of automatic review by my office,” the Justice secretary said.

The Palace also assured the public that the cases filed against Lim, Espinosa, and others would still be reviewed.

While the government “understands the sentiments and frustration of the public over the dismissal,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that this decision is “far from being final.”

“Hindi pa po tapos ang ‘boxing’ laban kay Peter Lim at dito kay Kerwin Espinosa. Rerepasuhin pa po ‘yan ng Kalihim ng Department of Justice, at sisiguraduhin na tama ang naging naunang desisyon ng ating mga public prosecutors (The fight against Peter Lim and Kerwin Espinosa is not over. The Department of Justice will still review it and will also assure that the decision made by our public prosecutors was right),” Roque said in a news conference in Malacañang on March 13.

“Hindi pa tapos ang usaping ito. Hindi puwede na ang isang malaking isda ay hindi mapaparusahan kung may malaking ebidensya (This discussion is not yet over. We cannot let a big fish escape if there is a strong evidence to go after him),” he continued.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier tagged Lim as the Visayan member of the drug triad in the Philippines. The two other alleged drug bigwigs that the Chief Executive identified were Peter Co and Herbert Colangco.

Lim, however, has repeatedly denied the accusations hurled against him, saying that he was not involved in the narcotics trade.