THE police on Monday submitted to the Justice department additional evidence to pin down Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and other suspects for drug dealing.
During the resumption of the preliminary investigation, the Philippine National Police, through the Office of the Solicitor General, turned over to the department’s prosecutors evidence from the transcripts of the 2016 Senate hearings on the investigation of the killing of Espinosa’s father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., and the 2002 House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs report over the inquiry on the drug activities of Lim and his brother Wellington.
The police also submitted a copy of the “blue book” of Bebeth Rebecca Diano, which is said to list the people in Espinosa’s payola, and the sworn affidavit of another respondent, Jessamin Impal.
The police also submitted a third affidavit of witness and respondent Marcelo Adorco dated April 20.
Adorco, who was an associate of Kerwin Espinosa, was arrested on July 8, 2016, during a drug buy-bust operation in Albuera, Leyte. His testimony was used in filing the complaint against the respondents.
In support of Adorco’s third affidavit, the OSG also submitted travel records from the Bureau of Immigration that showed Adorco flew with Espinosa to Thailand in 2015, where they met with Lim, and the artist sketch and computerized composite of Lim dated August 29, 2017, as described by Adorco.
With the new submission, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, who heads the panel of prosecutors conducting the preliminary investigation of the complaint, ordered the respondents to submit their respective counter-affidavits on May 15.
Lim did not show up during the preliminary investigation, but he was represented by his lawyer Magilyn Loja. Present in the hearing were Espinosa and Adorco.
Lim’s co-accused Miro and Pepito died in separate incidents.