PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte was "convinced" that Peter Lim is involved in illegal drug trade, because of "many evidence" linking the Cebu businessman to drug activities, MalacaƱang said Thursday, February 21.
Duterte on Wednesday, February 20, advised Lim, who remains in hiding, to commit suicide instead of surrendering to authorities.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Thursday, February 21, that Duterte's "soft" stance on Lim's supposed links to illegal drugs may have changed because of "many evidence" that the Cebu businessman was "really behind many operations concerning drug activities."
"There could be a basis for that. Siguro some time ago, ang sinasabing soft pa siya, wala masyadong ebidensya against him. Eh baka marami nang ebidensya to convince the President that he's really behind many operations concerning drug activities," he said in an interview with Palace reporters.
(There could be a basis for that. Perhaps some time ago, when Duterte was still soft, he has no sufficient evidence against Lim. Perhaps, there are many evidence to convince the President that he's really behind many operations concerning drug activities.)
"You must remember that Peter Lim at one point denied that. Siguro mas lalong pina-imbestigahan ni Presidente. Baka marami na siyang basis (Perhaps, that prompted the President to initiate a probe and he has now sufficient basis)," he added.
In July 2016, Duterte named Lim, alias "Jaguar," as the one responsible for the rampant illegal drug trade in the Visayas.
Days after Duterte's revelation, he met with Lim and vowed to help the suspected drug lord in clearing his name. The President, however, warned to "execute" Lim, if the latter is proven to have links to illegal drugs.
On Wednesday, February 20, the President told Lim to "just commit suicide" instead of surrendering to authorities, as he suspected that Lim's drug network is still "very much alive."
"The network and the money laundering of Peter Lim is very much alive. So I'm just reiterating my warning here that this drug problem is a national security threat. Meaning to say, it can destroy the Philippines. And the orders are: destroy the enemy," Duterte told reporters on Wednesday.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier indicted Lim for conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade, along with self-confessed drug lord Rolan "Kerwin" Espinosa, Marcelo Adorco, and Ruel Malindangan.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, tagging Lim as the source of "shabu" being sold by the "Espinosa group" in 2013 and 2014.
In September 2018, the DOJ offered a P500,000-reward for anyone who can provide information on Lim's whereabouts.
Asked if the government already knows Lim's location, Panelo said: "As of now, no."
"But the standing order is to pursue to the ends of the world those who have violated the laws in this country. 'Yun naman ang palaging standing order niya (That's the President's standing order)," he added. (SunStar Philippines)