The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) exoneration of “known drug lords” is another proof that President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war was “fake,” opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Tuesday.
“The DOJ’s exoneration of these known drug lords is yet another proof that what Duterte unleashed upon us is a fake drug war,” Trillanes said in a statement.
“Kapag mahirap, walang tanong-tanong, patay agad. Kapag drug lords at kumpare pa ni Duterte, may due process na, abswelto pa sa kaso,” he added.
Trillanes was referring to self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, and alleged drug triad boss Peter Lim, who was Duterte’s “kumpadre” (wedding cosponsor).
The two, including several other known drug personalities were absolved by a DOJ panel of prosecutors due to the alleged weak evidence presented by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the “inconsistencies” in the testimony of its lone witness, Marcelo Adorco, who was also cleared of the charges.
The resolution was issued on Dec. 20, 2017 but was only discovered by media on Monday.
READ: DOJ clears suspected drug lord
The CIDG filed the case against the respondents in August 2017 for their alleged conspiracy to commit “sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals.”
READ: WHAT WENT BEFORE: Who is Peter Lim?
“Kapag kay Sen. (Leila) De lima, na kalaban sa pulitika, kahit nagka buhol-buhol na ang mga scripted na testimonya, sampa agad sa korte para makulong. Mr. Duterte, pinaglololoko mo ang taong bayan,” Trillanes said.
De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) detention facility in Camp Crame since February due to drug-related charges which she repeatedly claimed as “politically-motivated and trumped-up.”
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque meanwhile clarified that the dismissal of the charges is not yet final and is still subject to review by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.
Roque also added that Trillanes is only taking political advantage of the issue.
“Pinagsasamantalahan po yan ni Sen. Trillanes bilang isang pulitiko. Gaya ng sinabi ko kanina, hindi pa po tapos ang boksing. Wag po tayong magkaroon ng conclusion dahil mayroon pang proseso ng pag-aapila. Wala pa pong pinal na desisyon kung kakasuhan o hindi si Peter Lim. So yung mga ganyang salita po ay salitang politiko,” Roque said. /muf