DOJ summons Espinosa, Co for drug raps probe
March 28, 2018 | 12:19pm
Kerwin Espinosa, Peter Lim and Peter Co are implicated in the drug raps filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has summoned confessed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa, Cebu businessman Peter Lim and a dozen others for its continuing probe into the drug raps filed against them.
The new panel of prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera sent summons to Espinosa and his co-respondents last March 22.
The respondents are expected to appear before the DOJ on April 12 at 1 p.m.
Other members of the new panel handling the case are Assistant State Prosecutor Anna Noreen Devanadera and Prosecution Attorney Herbert Calvin Abugan.
The three-member panel was created by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre after the DOJ was put in hot water when Assistant State Prosecutors Michael John Humarang and Aristotle eyes, who is now a Lucena Regional Trial Court judge, dropped the drug raps against them.
Humarang and Reyes cited the weak complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group as the basis for the dropping of the case. They pointed out the inconsistent testimonies of witness Marcelo Adoroco.
President Rodrigo Duterte also warned Aguirre that he would replace Espinosa’s head with Aguirre’s if the respondents walk free from the said complaint.
The justice chief also ordered an investigation into possible offenses committed by Humarang and Reyes.
Aguirre has earlier apologized to the prosecutors for the investigation, adding that his order was due to the “seriousness, uproar, outrage by the ignorant.”
He also stressed that the respondents are not yet off the hook as the case can still be subjected to his office’s review.
Humarang and Reyes stood by their findings and said that they are ready to face the NBI’s probe.
Calls for Aguirre’s resignation were also mounted following the case dismissal, but the justice chief maintained that he continues to enjoy Duterte’s trust.
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