By Jeffrey G. Damicog
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II assured yesterday that that businessman and suspected drug lord Peter Lim and his co-respondents in a drug case are not off the hook yet after Department of Justice (DoJ) prosecutors dismissed the criminal charges against them.
“Suffice it to say that the current status of the case against the respondents Peter Lim et al. does not mean that it is a final exoneration of their respective criminal liabilities,” said Aguirre.
“Under our present procedure in the DoJ, there are possible avenues to review this case, either by a motion for reconsideration, or ultimately, by way of automatic review by my office,” he explained.
A DoJ panel of prosecutors has issued a resolution dismissing the complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Major Crimes Investigation Unit (PNP-CIDG-MCIU) against Lim and his co-respondents for allegedly violating Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5 (Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals) of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
On the other hand, the Secretary assured that his office has “no hand nor say on the resolution of this case.”
The DoJ resolution was signed by Assistant State Prosecutors Michael John Humarang and Aristotle Reyes with the approving signatures of Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan Jr. and Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rassendell Rex Gingoyon.
“The dismissal is a slight bump on the our war against drugs, it is likewise a wake up to all concerned that our efforts, from apprehension to resolution to conviction must be concerted and thorough,” said Aguirre. “
