Erwin Espinosa (left) and Cebu’s Peter Lim are free. (ABS/CBN composite)
Kerwin Espinosa, Peter Lim, 20 others cleared of drug charges
MANILA – The Department of Justice has cleared alleged drug lords Kerwin Espinosa, Peter Lim and 20 others of charges related to the narcotics trade due to lack of evidence, according to a resolution made public on Monday.
“Our law enforcement agencies shall gather more concrete and competent evidence proving that respondents and other individuals are indeed involved in illegal drug activities,” the DOJ resolution read.
Police can file charges again but they have to make sure that these are backed by more evidence and corroborated testimonies, the DOJ said.
Other drug suspects who were cleared include Peter Co, Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Lovely Impal, Ruel Malindangan, Jun Pepito, Jermy Amang and several others identified only by their aliases.
Lim, a businessman was a suspected drug lord in Central Visayas tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte. Espinosa and Co were accused of being among leaders of the drug trade in Regions Central and Eastern Visayas.
Espinosa’s father, Albuera town Mayor Rolando Espinosa, also an alleged drug lord, was killed by police authorities in an alleged shootout inside his jail cell.
(Ed’s note) :Espinosa’s lawyer, Ronda vice-mayor Jonah John Ungab. was murdered in Cebu City on February 19, 2018. A week prior to his killing, 11 people were killed in Cebu in just nine days.