PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to use his power and supervision over the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review dismissed high profile drug-related cases, other than those involving self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and Cebu businessman Peter Lim.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa said Monday, March 19, that President Rodrigo Duterte told him about the planned review during the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduation.
“Yesterday, during the PMA (Philippine Military Academy) graduation, napag-usapan namin ni Presidente and he told me that he is going to review, he's going to use his power to review resolutions coming out of the Department of Justice lalong-lalo na ‘yung mga resolutions na nagdi-dismiss sa mga drug cases (especially the resolutions dismissing the drug cases),” he said.
"Most especially sa drug cases pero on others, 'pag medyo nagdududa siya ire-review pa rin niya (if he finds the resolution questionable, he will review the case)," he added.
Aside from the case against Espinosa, Lim and others, another case that was dismissed involved the dismantled shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratory in Virac, Catanduanes, Dela Rosa said.
Among those who were charged in relation to the discovery of the clandestine laboratory in November 2016 were National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Augusto Eric Isidoro, his common-law wife Angelica Balmadrid Isidoro and other lawyers and businessmen in the area.
In a resolution dated December 20, state prosecutors Michael John Humarang and Aristotle Reyes dismissed the drug charges filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Major Crimes Investigation Unit (MICU) against Espinosa, Lim, Peter Co, Marcelo Adorco (Espinosa's driver/bodyguard), Max Miro (recently deceased), Lovely Impal and at least 15 others including their alleged accomplices.
The cases were dismissed due to lack of evidence and inconsistency in the statement of Adorco, who served as witness.
Dela Rosa admitted that this time, Espinosa won but “it’s not gonna be forever.”
"Naisahan talaga kami, pero ikaw Kerwin naisahan mo kami ngayon ah, but you cannot win (over) us all the time, mark my word Mr. Kerwin Espinosa, you cannot win (over) us all the time, some time we will be the one to win," Dela Rosa said.
"'Yung filing na 'yan ginamit namin ng husto lahat ng abilidad namin para ma-file 'yang kaso na 'yan, 'yung sinasabi nila na bakit hindi sinama yung testimony ni Kerwin Espinosa? Well magaling lang sa Kerwin. I tell you, be careful with these drug lords, magaling lang siyang umamin doon sa Senado," he added.
(We did everything we could to file that case. They are asking why we did not include Kerwin Espinosa's admission before the Senate. Kerwin is good, but he made the admission only before the Senate.)
Earlier, Dela Rosa said Duterte was “very angry” and disappointed upon knowing that the charges against Espinosa and Lim were dismissed. The President reportedly punched the wall in the Palace, causing his hand to inflame.
Espinosa is the son of the late Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was shot dead by CIDG agents inside his detention cell before dawn of November 5, 2016. The older Espinosa was listed among the alleged narco-politicians on Duterte's watch list. (SunStar Philippines)