DOJ orders CIDG to present key witness vs Peter Lim

Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim says a Chinese national and namesake who goes in and out of the country may be behind the disinformation about his alleged links to drug trafficking. CEBU DAILY NEWS / file photo

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to bring a key witness in the drug trafficking charges against alleged drug triad boss Peter Lim and several others at the preliminary investigation of the case.

At the resumption of the hearing, the counsels of Lim and the CIDG engaged in a heated exchange after CIDG lawyer Joseph Orsos told the DOJ panel of prosecutors that witness Marcelo Adorco would submit a “supplemental affidavit.”

Adorco, an alleged henchman of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, has been under the custody of the police in Leyte.

Citing logistical limitations, Orsos asked the DOJ panel, composed of Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang, to allow Adorco to sign his affidavit before a state prosecutor in Leyte.

But Magilyn Loja, Lim’s counsel, opposed Orsos’ manifestation, pointing out that her client was required by Reyes and Humarang to physically subscribe to his counter-affidavit on Aug. 24.

READ: Peter Lim appears at DOJ, denies being the drug suspect alluded to by PNP

She also noted during the hearing that Orsos had admitted that they were still preparing Adorco’s supplemental affidavit and other pertinent documents.

“This is highly irregular. How can you tell us and the DOJ panel that Adorco subscribed to his affidavit voluntarily? Those documents do not even exist,” Orsos told the DOJ prosecutors.

The CIDG lawyer said Orsos had a “wrong understanding” of their request and that they were ready to file the documents with Adorco’s original affidavit.

To which an infuriated Orsos replied, “I beg to disagree and take offense (to that). It’s the counsel of (the CIDG) who misunderstands and misrepresents what I’m trying to say.”

Reyes immediately settled the issue by ordering the CIDG to ensure Adorco’s presence at the next hearing on Sept. 12 to sign his reply affidavit before the panel of prosecutors.

He also clarified that what CIDG would submit was actually Adorco’s reply affidavit and not a supplemental affidavit as the latter would mean that there would be new allegations against Lim.

“Peter Lim went here to subscribe his affidavit. The proper procedure is for you to again bring Adorco here and have him subscribe his (reply) affidavit,” Reyes said. JPV