MANILA – The Department of Justice filed drug-related charges against Cebu businessman Peter Lim despite the latter’s appeal, filed at the Supreme Court, to block reinvestigations into him over drugs.
The Justice department charged Lim with violation of Section 26 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, before the Makati City regional trial court.
“We issued the resolution and filed the case in court since there is no TRO (temporary restraining order) from [the Supreme Court],” Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, head of the DOJ panel, said on Monday.
Lim asked the high court to issue a TRO to stop the DOJ’s preliminary reinvestigation on the charges of sale, administration, dispensation, trading, delivery, and transportation of illegal drugs against him after these were previously dismissed by the DOJ panel.
He said the DOJ reinvestigation violates his rights to life and liberty, due process of law, and speedy disposition of the case filed against him by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
“We are optimistic that the SC will dismiss Lim’s petition,” Navera said. “We are confident that we will be sustained. The secretary of Justice has the power to order a reinvestigation.”
“If we go up on petition for review or whatever remedies that they might have to question the probable cause determination, it’s really their right, but we are confident that the evidence submitted to us will be enough to establish probable cause for the crime of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade,” he added.
Earlier the DOJ panel indicted self-proclaimed drug dealer Kerwin Espinosa, inmate Peter Co, Lovely Impal, and Ruel Malindagan for the same charge./PN
