Pubdate: Sun, 17 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2016
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622
Authors: Christina Mendez and Edith Regalado

DUTERTE THREATENS TO KILL SUSPECTED CEBU DRUG LORD

President Duterte threatened to kill businessman Peter Lim if it will 
be proven that he is among the country's top drug lords.

Lim had a meeting with Duterte late Friday at the regional office of 
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Davao City.

After identifying Lim as among the drug personalities being protected 
by the so-called narco generals, Duterte threatened to kill the 
Cebu-based businessman if it will be proven that he is a drug lord.

"I warned you that I will have you killed. I will really have you 
killed. If I'm able to prove (you're a drug lord), I will finish you 
off," Duterte warned Lim in the local dialect during their meeting.

At the meeting, Lim admitted he was the one being referred to by the 
President but denied any drug links. "I don't like liars," Duterte 
blurted out. "All of the law enforcements units, the police, PDEA and 
the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) are pointing you as a drug 
lord, isn't it?" Duterte told Lim.

The meeting was recorded on video and posted online yesterday by the 
state-run RVTM.

In the video, Lim stressed to Duterte that he had nothing to do with 
illegal drugs.

He admitted that he frequently goes abroad, sometimes for vacation 
with his family, but again denied having links to illegal drug operations.

"My family is in deep problem now. We are getting the threat," Lim 
told the President.

Lim said he may have been implicated in a congressional investigation 
on allegations that he is a member of the drug triad operating in the 
Visayas region.

Duterte then advised Lim to get himself a lawyer and submit before an 
investigation of the Department of Justice and the NBI.

"I will execute you if you fail... you better go to the investigating 
agency, (the) NBI there in Manila but if you have the time, you may 
want to bring along a lawyer," Duterte told Lim.

"There's no problem, it's a constitutional (right), you do not have 
to be afraid. Just bring along a lawyer and go either to the NBI or 
straight to the secretary of Justice," he added.

For his part, Lim expressed his willingness to cooperate to clear his name.

"We want to help you... help us clear you. We are not here to pin 
down innocent citizens," the President told Lim.

Lim was accompanied by lawyers when he presented himself to Duterte 
at around 11 p.m. Friday.

He met with Duterte in the presence of officials from the NBI, the 
Davao City Police and PDEA.

PDEA chief Isidro Lapena said the Peter Lim surrendered to Duterte on 
Friday was actually the same Peter Lim that has been included in the 
rogues gallery of the most notorious drug traffickers in the country.

An official, however, said there are around 400 Peter Lims in Cebu 
and around 4,000 in the whole country.

The source added the Peter Lim who met the President in Davao on 
Friday was, in fact, one of his campaign supporters during the 
election campaign in Cebu.

This is why when the President named him as one of the top three drug 
lords in the country, Lim's children denied this in a report.

During Duterte's victory party in Cebu, it was also gathered that the 
Peter Lim who surrendered in Davao was at the event. He was with his 
brother Wellington Lim, being both supporters of Duterte during the campaign.

A PDEA official in Davao, however, maintained Duterte doesn't know 
Peter Lim. He said Lim's surrender was arranged by a common friend.

Aside from Lim, Duterte has named two other drug traffickers in the 
country, Peter Co and Herbert Colangco, both serving sentence at the 
New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Lim was let go after the meeting since there was no case filed 
against him. He was told to make himself available for the expected 
investigation.

Lim expressed support for Duterte's antiillegal drugs campaign.

"I am all the way with you, Mr. President," he said.

Lim said he was grateful to Duterte for allowing him to explain his side.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom