CIDG says privacy act hindering probe vs Lim

The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) dismissal of the appeal of Cebuano businessman Peter Lim to stop the new probe against him would provide Lim an opportunity to answer the allegations against him, said Supt. Royina Garma, CIDG-7 director, in a phone interview on Saturday.

She said CIDG-7 is willing to gather more evidence against the controversial Cebu businessman.

Garma said they earlier conducted a complete background and financial investigation on Lim upon the request of their superiors in Manila.

However, she said they failed to get the documents they needed since government offices had been uncooperative and had refused to release information pertaining to Lim’s business transactions.

In 2012, the National Privacy Commission released the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 which aims to “safeguard the fundamental human right of every individual to privacy while ensuring free flow of information for innovation, growth, and national development.”

“As it is, we need the support of the community. The police cannot do this alone. We welcome any witness who can help us in the investigation,” Garma said.

“We’re willing to help in whatever way we can do,” she said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday denied Lim’s appeal to stop the new preliminary investigation into the drug trafficking cases filed against him, self-confessed drug trafficker Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., convicted drug lord Peter Co and several others.

In a resolution, Guevarra said Lim failed to show any violation of his due process rights, much less his right to a speedy disposition of his case.

The DOJ panel of prosecutors had earlier dismissed the charges against Lim and the other respondents, citing the failure of the CIDG to present strong evidence against Lim and the other respondents.

President Rodrigo Duterte was not happy over the decision and threatened to put then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in jail if Lim and Espinosa would go scot-free.

Aguirre immediately canceled his prosecutors’ resolution and formed a new panel to look into the case last March 19, attributing his decision to the “nationwide uproar” created by the dismissal of the criminal charges against Lim and his other co-accused.

The controversial dismissal of the charges against Lim and his co-respondents led to the resignation of Aguirre as Justice secretary last April 5.