Drug raps vs. Peter Lim, Kerwin Espinosa submitted for resolution

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday submitted for resolution the criminal complaint filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in connection with the narcotics business of self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin Espinosa.

This developed after the DOJ investigating panel composed of Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and Michael John Humarang received the memorandum summarizing the allegations of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Cebuano businessman Peter Lim, a co-respondent in the complaint for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading, also submitted a memorandum detailing his defense last September 25.

Lim has since denied allegations he was involved in the illegal drug trade.

"There is no credible proof of my involvement in any transaction involving illegal drugs. There is, more importantly, no evidence of the corpus delicti [body of the crime such as money or illegal drugs] in this case," the businessman said.

Other respondents, Lovely Impal, an alleged drug supplier of Espinosa, detained Chinese drug lord Peter Co, and Espinosa himself earlier filed their respective counter affidavits.

The complaint covered drug transactions from February 2013 to August 2015 involving at least 90 kilos of shabu allegedly sourced from Lim and Co, delivered at a grocery store in Makati City, and distributed by Espinosa's men in Bohol, Samar, Northern and Southern Leyte, Biliran, and some parts of Cebu.

Specifically, 20 kilos of shabu were allegedly sourced from Co on February 5, 2013; 20 kilos from Lim on February 16, 2013; and 50 kilos from Lim on June 7, 2015.

Four similar transactions and deliveries with Lim as supplier allegedly took place in 2014 but the amount of shabu delivered was not indicated. —KG, GMA News