Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 1) — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Central Visayas served on Tuesday a subpoena, ordering Cebu-based businessman Peter Lim to attend investigations.
The summon for Lim comes after he was included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug matrix, which was presented to the media in July 2016.
The CIDG Region 7 said the subpoena, which was served by Chief Inspector Chuck Barandog on Tuesday afternoon, was received by Lim’s security guard at his home in Barangay Kasambagan in Cebu City. The guard said Lim was not home.
In December, police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said Duterte has ordered the investigation of Lim. The police chief said he has since directed the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) to conduct a case-building investigation on Lim.
READ: PNP investigating alleged drug lord Peter Lim – Dela Rosa
Duterte met with Lim in Davao City in July last year. The businessman denied being involved in the illegal drug trade and vowed to help with the government’s all out-war against drugs.
READ: Duterte meets suspected drug lord Peter Lim: ‘Sorry I cannot save you’
Lim’s preliminary investigation is set on August 14 and 17 in Manila. Failure to appear, according to the letter, means waiver of his rights to explain himself and a case will be immediately filed.
Crackdown on narco-politicians
Lim has been in the Immigration’s Lookout Bulletin Order since July 11. An immigration lookout bulletin directs the bureau to “take prudent steps to verify” any criminal cases an individual may have.
Another alleged drug lord in Eastern Visayas, Kerwin Espinosa, is also in the same bulletin order.
Dela Rosa on Monday said the police are cracking down on politicians involved in the illegal drug trade, following the killing of alleged narco-politician Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. on July 30 during a police raid.
