The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dropped charges pressed against alleged druglords and distributors Peter Co, Kerwin Espinosa, and Peter Lim, among others on Monday.
According to a written resolution released by DOJ, the charges were dropped due to ‘lack of evidence’.
Aside from the three, charges against the following were also dropped.
• Marcelo Adorco
• Max Miro
• Lovely Impal
• Ruel Malindangan
• Jun Pepito
• Jermy
• Ricky
• Warren
• Tupie
• Jojo
• Jaime
• Yawa
• Lapi
• Royroy
• Marlon
• Bay
• John Doe
• Peter Doe
• Robert Doe
• several unidentified
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Major Crimes Investigation Unit (CIDG-MICU) filed the charges against the drug lords and their distributors after violating Section 26(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. According to the complaint, the individuals were involved in selling, trading, and delivering of drugs.
Adorco was named as the sole witness by the CIDG-MICU.
Since his arrest, Adorco has submitted three testimonies detailing the transactions of Co, Lim, Espinosa, and Impal.
According to Adorco, he met Espinosa while in prison in 2011. Upon release, he was hired to be bodyguard and driver of the Espinosas where he was given an unlicensed firearm and a notebook that contained list of people who have transacted with the Espinosas.
However, DOJ debunked Adorco by stating that his testimonies were “rife with inconsistencies and contradictions, and run against the standards of human experience and the logical course of reality.”
“For an evidence to be believed, it must proceed not only from the mouth of a credible witness but must be credible in itself as to hurdle the test of conformity with the knowledge and common experience of mankind,” DOJ added.
The Philippine National Police has filed a motion for reconsideration after DOJ’s dismissal of the charges.
Espinosa was arrested by authorities in Abu Dhabi, UAE in October 2016.
“Just this morning around 2 a.m., our team from AIDG led by Senior Superintendent (Albert) Ferro in coordination with criminal investigation division of the Abu Dhabi police arrested the drug lord Kerwin Espinosa,” PNP director general Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said.
