SUSPECTED drug lord and pal of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, Peter Go Lim, appeared before the Department of Justice (DoJ) to subscribe to his counter-affidavit before state prosecutors.

PETER LIM
Suspected drug lord Peter Lim arrives at the Department of Justice in Manila on Aug. 24, 2017 upon the demand of Associate State Prosecutor Aristotle Reyes to personally subscribe to his counter affidavit on the investigation on the alleged drug trade in Regions 7 and 8. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

Mr. Lim, accompanied by his lawyer Magilyn T. Loja, went to the DoJ about four hours after Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang adjourned yesterday’s preliminary investigation probe.

The Cebu City-based businessman failed to appear at the hearing scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Ms. Loja manifested before prosecutors that her client cited threats to his life and has opted to subscribe to his counter-affidavit before Manila City Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Antonio Valencia last Aug. 22, instead of attending the hearing at the DoJ.

But Mr. Reyes pointed out: “He was able to appear before the City Prosecutor of Manila and yet he failed to appear…here.”

The prosecutor rejected Mr. Lim’s counter-affidavit as subscribed to a different prosecutor. He noted: “[I]t’s the investigating prosecutor who should certify that he personally examined the affiant. So how can I now be so sure that… (the) Peter Go Lim who appeared before the prosecutor of Manila is the same Peter Go Lim who submitted that counter-affidavit?”

At around 3:30 p.m., Mr. Lim and Ms. Loja appeared before Messrs. Reyes and Humarang to swear in his counter-affidavit where he denied allegations by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

In his counter-affidavit, Mr. Lim challenged the testimony of his co-respondent Marcelo Adorco, whose testimony is the basis of the PNP-CIDG complaint.

In the complaint filed by the PNP-CIDG, Mr. Adorco identified Mr. Lim as among those who “distribute and trade” drugs, and self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa and his late father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Roland Espinosa, Sr., as the source of illegal drugs.

“[Mr.] Adorco’s statements and allegations are all based on hearsay,” Mr. Lim said, adding: “According to the overwhelming weight of authority, a confession (of) the crime which the accused is charged of having committed, even though made in expectation of imminent death or by a person jointly indicted with the accused, is not admissible as substantive evidence.”

Mr. Lim thus asked the DoJ to dismiss the complaint against him. “I therefore plead with the Investigating Prosecutors to dismiss the charge against me, which was clearly filed precipitately without judicious study and proper evaluation of facts,” his counter-affidavit further reads.

Present in yesterday’s hearing were convicted drug lord Peter Co who was accompanied by members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Forces (PNP-SAF), while Mr. Espinosa was accompanied by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), where he is currently detained.

Both have submitted and subscribed to their counter-affidavits before the two state prosecutors.

Others named respondents in the case are Max Miro, Lovely Adam Impal, Ruel Malindangan and Jun Pepito. The next hearing is set on Sept. 6, 10:00 a.m. — Kristine Joy V. Patag

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