By JEFFREY G. DAMICOG
The Department of Justice (DoJ) filed yesterday drug charges against self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa and four others.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the charges were filed after the second panel of prosecutors found probable cause to indict them with conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade in violation of Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
Charged with Espinosa were convicted drug lord Peter Co, Espinosa’s detained alleged associate Marcelo Adorco, arrested drug trader Lovely Impal, and Ruel Malindagan.
Fadullon said two counts were filed against the four before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC), while one count was filed against them before the Makati City RTC.
Last July 19, the second panel of prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera released the resolution of the preliminary investigation conducted on the complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Major Crimes Investigation Unit (PNP-CIDG-MCIU) against the respondents which included Cebu-based businessman and suspected drug lord Peter Lim.
Meanwhile, Navera assured that the second panel is busy drafting the resolution regarding the accusations against Lim.
He said the second panel had granted Lim’s motion for a separate preliminary investigation.
