Local businessman Peter Lim said he will never run away from any investigation on his alleged links to illegal drugs, but admitted he is worried about his safety.

Lim told reporters who visited his office in Mandaue City Thursday the allegations were “all fabricated and lies.” His meeting with reporters is proof that he is not in hiding, he said.

“Yes, I am scared about my life because of the false accusation. People might think this is true,” Lim said.

He said he has not requested for a police escort and doubts if he will be given one.

Lim’s lawyers released a prepared statement which said the businessman is committed to cooperate with any investigation.

“That commitment remains until now. In this regard, Lim welcomes the DOJ/PNP-CIDG’s probe against him. He views it as his chance to clear his name,” the statement read.

In a separate statement Lim’s daughter, Caryl, said the family is deeply affected by the reports that unfairly molded the public’s perception that her father is a drug lord.

“Our family has suffered so much from this horrible experience. Our children do not deserve to be called as ‘apo ng drug lord’. We also fear that our father will have to carry the stigma for the rest of his life,” Caryl said in the statement.

“We are confident that he will be cleared of these baseless allegations and the country will know the true Peter Co Lim — a loving father, a doting lolo, a caring uncle, a loyal friend and a God-fearing Cebuano,” she said.

Also on Thursday, former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama showed up at the office of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Division (CIDG) 7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug.

Rama, who was among the personalities publicly named by President Duterte as being involved in the illegal drugs, did not reveal the purpose of his visit.

“I met them (CIDG men) and they were nice to me. I will pray for them,” he told reporters.

NO BAIL

Meanwhile, state prosecutors charged detained Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and her brother Reynaldo Parojinog Jr.  before the Ozamiz City regional trial court on Friday.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said Echavez was charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of dangerous drugs.

Reynaldo Jr. on the other hand was charged with three counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of illegal drugs, and illegal possession of explosives

“The drugs charges are non-bailable; the firearms cases are bailable,” Navera noted.

The charges were filed against the siblings after the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a resolution Thursday finding probable cause against the Parojinog sibling to indict them for violating the firearms and ammunition law and the Dangerous Drugs Act.

The resolution was signed by Navera and Assistant State Prosecutors Josei Christina Dugay and Ethel Rea Suril with the approving signatures of Senior Deputy State Prosecutors Amor Robles and Severino Gana Jr.

Armed with search warrants issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert, the siblings were arrested Sunday after a raid conducted by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in their home in Ozamis City.

The police operation resulted in the death of 15 persons including their father, Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., his wife Susan and brother, Misamis Occidental provincial board member Octavio Parojinog.

AT LARGE

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II yesterday has placed in the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) Ozamiz City Councilor Ricardo Parojinog, the brother of Reynaldo Sr.

“Councilor Ricardo Parojinog a.k.a. Arthur Parojinog who is also a subject of the investigation, was not at home when the PNP-CIDG conducted the search in his house where they have found several firearms and ammunitions,” Aguirre’s order to Immigration chief Jaime Morente read.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by by Mars Mosqueda Jr. and Jeffrey Damicog

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