ANOTHER respondent in the drug-related complaint filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) against suspected drug lords Kerwin Espinosa and Peter Lim was shot dead.
The Albuera, Leyte police, through a certification, told the Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors handling the drug complaint against the Visayas-based suspected drug lords that Nelson "Jun" Pepito was killed by two unknown assailants on December 1 in Sitio Canlugo, Barangay Seguinon, Albuera, Leyte.
The certification was submitted after the DOJ panel of prosecutors issued a subpoena requiring Espinosa, Lim and Pepito to attend the preliminary investigation on the complaint on April 12.
The document, signed by Albuera Police Chief Ronald Espina, stated that Pepito died after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body.
On March 10, another respondent in the drug complaint, Max Miro, known as Espinosa's aide, was killed after he allegedly resisted arrest in Ormoc City, Leyte.
The police served the arrest warrant at Miro's residence around 10 p.m. of March 10 when the suspect reportedly resisted arrest, prompting the cops to shoot him.
Miro sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival at the nearest hospital.
The complaint against Lim, Espinosa, Pepito, Miro and several others for alleged conspiracy to trade illegal drugs was junked by the DOJ, based on a resolution dated December 20, 2017.
The DOJ's decision, which sparked public outrage, has prompted Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to order a reinvestigation and designate a new panel of prosecutors to handle the complaint.
The DOJ resolution stated there is lack of evidence to prove that the respondents are conspiring to trade illegal drugs. (SunStar Philippines)