Bato denies Duterte protecting Peter Lim, says case buildup ongoing

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa denied Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte protected suspected drug lord Peter Lim, who was seen in a picture with the Chief Executive.

Dela Rosa said there is an ongoing investigation against Lim as ordered by the President.

“Hindi pinoprotektahan ni Presidente ang Peter Lim na iyan, nagkataon lang na naging ninong silang pareho sa kasal. Nang malaman ni Presidente na ang kumpare pala niya ay confirmed drug lord, galit na galit siya. Instruction niya sa akin is mag-conduct agad ng case build up, trabahuhin agad para ma-neutralize,” he said.

He said the case buildup is ongoing away from the public eye. He believed the questions raised during the Senate stirred up the process.

“Ongoing. ‘Yun nga nabulabog yung aming case build up against him kasi kinakalimutan na lang namin yun, pinapabayaan namin na maniwala ang taumbayan na talagang hindi siya drug lord,” he said.

“But we have enough information coming from, aside from Kerwin (Espinosa), doon sa driver na hitman ni Kerwin, saka yung kapatid niya na bakla,” he added.

He said even before Espinosa was arrested in Abu Dhabi, Dela Rosa already went to Region 8 to conduct an investigation.

“Sinabi  talaga sa akin na iyang Peter Lim na iyan ay isa iyan sa source ni Kerwin ng droga, isa sa supplier ni Kerwin ng droga,” he said.

The PNP chief said he immediately reported to Duterte the information he gathered. He said the President was very angry.

“So ‘yun  nireport ko agad kay Presidente after nalaman ko yan, e galit na galit si Presidente. Sabi ko ‘sir yan ‘yung nasa picture mo na kumpare mo, nagpicture sa ‘yo, kumpirmado yan sir.’ 

“Sabi ng driver ni Kerwin, kasama pa siya mismo ni Kerwin na nagpunta sa Thailand at nag-usap sila doon ng Peter Lim na ‘yan,” he said. 

“So galit na galit si Presidente, ang sabi niya sige trabahuhin mo. Sabi niya trabahua, pag masukol, patya. Ibig sabihin n’un sa Tagalog, trabahuin mo, kapag lumaban, patayin mo ... alangan namang magpapatay ka sa kanya kung lumaban,” he added.

Disrupted

Dela Rosa reiterated that their case buildup has been disrupted.

“So ‘yun ang nangyari, ongoing ang aming operations, ngayon na nabulabog yung aming case buildup dahil sa pagtatanong, dahil sa paglabas niya sa litrato ni Peter Lim,” he said referring to the questions raised during the hearing by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.  

Trillanes showed a picture of Duterte with Lim when the two were invited as wedding sponsors. 

Espinosa earlier admitted that Lim was one of his top drug suppliers.  — RSJ, GMA News