Cuenco on Lim case: Hurry!

Commission on Human Rights (CHR-7) director Atty. Arvin Ordom (right) listens to former Cebu City South District Congressman Antonio Cuenco as he announces in a news forum that he would be willing to help government authorities in their investigation on businessman Peter Lim’s alleged illegal drug activities.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

Former Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, who led a House inquiry into the alleged drug links of brothers Peter and Wellington Lim 16 years ago, has called on the Duterte administration to hasten the case which has been dragging on since 2001.

“I call on them to do their job. Do it in a hurry,” Cuenco said.

Cuenco said he was willing to help government authorities but only up to the extent of his knowledge based on the congressional probe which he conducted before.

Cuenco who spoke during the 888 News Forum at Marco Polo Plaza, on Tuesday, explained that he had no personal knowledge about the activities of Lim; but he could attest to the House committee reports.

“It was the witnesses who appeared before our committee who had personal knowledge. If I was going to testify in court, naturally the defense council will say it’s hearsay,” he told the reporters.

Cuenco said that he can only testify that two witnesses, Bernard Liu and Ananias Dy, testified before the committee and executed affidavits which are still in the archives of Congress.

Liu and Dy’s testimonies were forwarded to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Cuenco said.

“It is not our job to prosecute. The job of Congress is fact-finding in aid of legislation. That thing we have done. Let the justice department do its job,” Cuenco added.

“I am glad there is a new case being prepared by government. But let the investigation proceed and let us wait for the conclusion,” Cuenco said.

A subpoena was issued by the DOJ in Manila asking Lim to appear before the justice department on August 14 and 17 2017 at 10 a.m. (see separate story)

During the news forum, Cuenco shared that before President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa met him in Cebu regarding Lim’s case upon orders of the President.

“Akong gi sulti tanan among findings contained in a report tua na sa DOJ. Tua na sa archive sa Congress dugay na kaayo to,” said Cuenco.

(I told him everything about our findings contained in a report submitted to the DOJ. The reports are now in the archives of Congress. It was such a long time ago.)

Cuenco considered Dy and Liu who both worked at Hilton Heavy Equipment owned by Peter and Wellington Lim as “key to everything” and “credible witnesses”. But the two are no longer around.

Dy was shot dead by two unidentified men at the corner of Salvador and Katipunan Streets in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City in 2006; while Liu was found dead, five years later in 2011, with a rope around his neck and crude oil poured over his body in his home in Naya Subdivision, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City.

Cuenco questions why the police failed to conduct a thorough investigation on the two deaths.

In a separate interview on Tuesday, CIDG-7 deputy director, Chief Inspector Hector Amancia told reporters that a fresh report on Peter Lim has been submitted to Camp Crame.

While the name of Lim’s brother, Wellington, came up in their recent investigation, Amancia said the CIDG probe focused on Peter.

“Our main focus was only Peter Lim. It’s the order of the higher office to have a complete background on Peter Lim but there is no instruction to investigate his brother, Wellington,” Amancia said.

‘Cuenco: I am not accusing Lims’

Cuenco clarified that while he was not accusing the Lim brothers, he would like the evidence to speak for itself. He also feared for his life.

“I’m not accusing them of any crime. It is not my job to do that. I will not do that. Besides, I have to protect my life which might be in danger,” Cuenco said.

Asked by Cebu Daily News if he had gotten any threats, Cuenco said: “Who knows since I’m reviving what happened. I’m telling you my life could be in danger and I hope not. God forbid.”