Law enforcement agencies exerting all efforts to find Peter Lim: DOJ

“The police, the NBI, and other law enforcement agencies are exerting all efforts to find Peter Go Lim and serve the warrant of arrest upon him,” Guevarra told reporters.(TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL FILE PHOTO)

MANILA — Law enforcement officials are exerting all efforts to locate fugitive businessman and alleged drug lord Peter Lim, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra made this assurance as Lim remains at large after the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued an arrest warrant against him and several others in connection with drug cases filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“The police, the NBI, and other law enforcement agencies are exerting all efforts to find Peter Go Lim and serve the warrant of arrest upon him,” Guevarra told reporters.

Reports said Lim can no longer be found from his residences in Cebu and continued to evade arresting authorities.

Guevarra said the justice department is ready to seek the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in the event that he has already slipped out of the country.

“We may ask the Interpol for information on his whereabouts,” Guevarra said.

“Depending on which country he may have fled to, the Philippine government may ask for extradition or other forms of legal assistance,” he added.

Guevarra, however, clarified that there were no records from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) that would indicate that he has already left the country, thus, government authorities are still focusing their manhunt against Lim inside the country.

Law enforcement agencies are hoping to bring Lim during his arraignment on Tuesday before the sala of Makati City RTC Branch 65 Acting Presiding Judge Gina Bibat-Palamos.

Bibat-Palamos ordered the arrest of Lim, along with self-confessed drug lord Roland “Kerwin” Espinosa, Espinosa’s arrested associate Marcelo Adorco, and Ruel Malindangan.

The respondents face two counts of the non-bailable offense of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade in violation of Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Last Aug. 14, the Makati RTC issued the arrest warrant against Lim and subsequently a hold departure order (HDO) to prevent him from leaving the country.

“Per BI records, Mr. Lim has not left the country since his last trip in March. They hope to bring him in court before his arraignment on Aug. 28,” Guevarra noted.

Both Espinosa and Adorco are in government custody, while, Malindangan is at-large and also the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Makati RTC.

State prosecutors filed charges against Espinosa, Adorco, and Malindagan, arrested alleged drug supplier Lovely Impal, and convicted drug lord Peter Co after probable cause was found by the DOJ to indict them based on the complaint of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.