THE government is offering a P500,000 reward to anyone who can give information that will lead to the arrest of Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim.
Lim is currently the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Makati City Regional Trial Court. He is facing a criminal case for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“The government is also ready to give a reward of P500,000 to anyone who can give information on the exact whereabouts of accused Peter Go Lim, provided that such information will lead to the actual arrest of said fugitive,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.
Guevarra also warned those coddling Lim that they could be indicted and prosecuted for obstruction of justice.
“The DOJ warns persons coddling Peter Go Lim, who has been indicted for conspiracy to trade in illegal drugs, that they will be prosecuted for obstruction of justice and punished accordingly,” Guevarra added.
Lim’s spokesperson, lawyer Dioscoro “Jun” Fuentes, begged off from issuing any comments on the bounty offered for his employer’s arrest.
“Sorry, dili ko ka react ana (I cannot react on that),” Fuentes told Cebu Daily News in a phone interview.
A hearing for Lim and his co-accused, self-confessed drug distributor Kerwin
Espinosa, Marcelo Adorco, and Ruel Malindangan, was supposed to continue Friday but was canceled due to typhoon
Ompong.
Malindangan also remains at large while Espinosa is already under the custody of the Witness Protection Program (WPP)
after he testified against Senator Leila de Lima.
The DOJ used as basis the testimony of Espinosa before the Senate, where he identified Lim as one of his suppliers of dangerous drugs.
Espinosa is also facing separate drug charges before the Manila Court.
On the other hand, Adorco is under the custody of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
President Rodrigo Duterte publicly called out Lim in 2016, alleging that he was one of the biggest drug lords in the country.