THE Regional Trial Court of Makati City on Tuesday ordered the arrest of Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim in connection with the illegal drugs charges filed against him by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In a one-page order, Makati RTC Branch 65 Presiding Judge Gina Bibat-Palamos also set for August 28 the hearing of the conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade filed against Lim, confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, Wu Tuan a.k.a. Peter Co, Lovely Imperial and Ruel Malindagan.
Espinosa has been in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) while Adorco, who has turned state witness, is with the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“After a careful evaluation of the Information and the supporting evidence, the Court finds that it has jurisdiction over the subject matter or the Information and that probable cause exists to hold accused Peter Go Lim, Rilad Espinosa a.k.a “Kerwin,” Marcelo Adorco and Ruel and Ruel S. Malindagan,” the order read.
DOJ prosecutors said the order was the basis for the warrant of arrest which will be issued in a separate order to the law enforcement agencies.
Earlier, the DOJ filed a motion for the issuance of a hold-departure order against Lim before the Makati RTC, insisting that he is a flight risk.
The Makati, RTC, however, set the ex-parte motion for hearing on August 17, 2018.
In their four-page ex-parte motion for the issuance of an HDO, the prosecutors stressed that Lim and his co-accused are facing trial for violation of Section 26 (B) in relation to Section 5, Article II (conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading) of Republic Act No. 9165, a capital offense punishable by reclusion perpetua.
They added that Lim has a history of frequent travels abroad and has the resources to seek refuge in another country to escape prosecution.
In July, the DOJ prosecutor’s panel found probable cause to indict Espinosa, Co, Imperial and Malindagan for the same offense.
Lim was a co-respondent in the said complaint but the resolution did not cover him as the panel earlier granted his motion for a separate preliminary investigation.
Last Friday the DOJ prosecutors’ panel finally ruled to indict Lim for the said offense.
In his testimony, Adorco claimed Lim had supplied narcotics in “staggering amounts” to Espinosa for more than two years.
He said one such transaction involved the delivery of 50 kilos of shabu (crystal meth) which Lim personally handed to Espinosa at the parking lot of Cash & Carry supermarket in Makati City on June 7, 2015.