ESPINOSA
CHIEF Insp. Jove Espenido, police director of Albuera town in Leyte, on Friday named a Peter Lim as the alleged “boss” of big-time drug lord Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr.
“Peter Lim is Kerwin’s boss,” Espenido told Cebu Daily News over the phone.
He said someone close to Espinosa, who is now in their custody, revealed this information to them.
Espenido, however, admitted it was hard to prove the allegation since they have no other evidence apart from the testimony of one of their witnesses.
“Unless we get sufficient evidence, (those will remain intelligence reports),” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier identified a certain Peter Lim as one of the big-time drug lords in the country.
Days after he made the announcement, a Cebuano businessman with the name Peter Lim met with President Duterte to belie the allegation and to clear his name.
Cebu’s Lim is now being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation.
CDN tried to get Lim’s comment about a “Peter Lim” being involved in illegal drugs trade anew but the businessman’s legal counsel, Pedro Leslie Salva, said in a text message that he could not issue any reaction as they had been instructed by Lim, to no longer grant any interview.
Espinosa, the son of the mayor of Albuera, was tagged as the top drug lord operating in Eastern Visayas.
On July 28, Espinosa’s bodyguards and employees were arrested during a buy-bust operation near the houses of Kerwin and his father, Rolando Sr. in Albuera. At least P1.9 million worth of shabu was recovered during the operation.
However, no warrant of arrest has yet been issued by the court against Kerwin, Espenido said.
Asked if he knew of Kerwin’s whereabouts, Espenido said, “Only God knows.”
He said that even if he knew, he would keep it to himself.
“I don’t want him to know that I know where he is,” he said.
Espenido said Kerwin easily got away with his illegal drug business because he was protected by policemen, politicians and some members of the media.
“I know Kerwin’s protectors, but I won’t reveal them to the media. I will relay them to the director of the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas,” he said.
Espenido said it would be better for Kerwin to surrender to him even if there was no arrest warrant issued by the court yet. “I could guarantee his safety. He will be alive in my hands,” he said.
“Before, I really wanted him killed. But I changed my mind. What good is it to kill him? His protectors, especially the generals, and even politicians and members of the media will just laugh. Now, I want him alive so he can reveal everything,” Espenido added.