- PNP chief defended president amid latter’s photos with suspected drug lord
- He said Duterte angry after finding out ‘kumpare’ in photo was Peter Lim, the drug lord
- He also said president ordered cases to be built up against Lim
MANILA, Philippines – PNP chief Ronaldo “Bato” dela Rosa defended President Rodrigo Duterte over the latter’s photos with suspected drug lord Peter Lim; saying he did not know who he was at the time the picture of them together was taken.
“Hindi pinoprotektahan ni Presidente ang Peter Lim na ‘yan, nagkataon lang naging ninong silang pareho sa ikakasal. Nang malaman na ni Presidente na ang kumpare pala niya ay confirmed drug lord, galit na galit siya,” Rappler quoted him as saying.
[The President is not protecting Peter Lim. It just so happened that they were both principal sponsors at a wedding. But when the President found out that his kumpare was a confirmed drug lord, he was very angry.]
Dela Rosa said their probe on Lim coupled with Kerwin Espinosa’s identification of him confirmed that he really was the drug lord they had long been after.
“Pinapabayaan namin na maniwala ang taumbayan na talagang hindi siya drug lord but we have enough information coming from – aside from Kerwin, doon sa driver na hitman ni Kerwin, saka ‘yung kapatid niya na bakla,” he said.
[We let the public believe that he wasn’t a drug lord but we have enough information coming from – aside from Kerwin, from his driver and hitman, and also his gay brother.]
Dela Rosa added that Duterte has since ordered cases to be built up against Lim.
“Trabahua. Kung musukol, patya [Work on a case against him. If he fights back, kill him],” he said.
Dela Rosa’s defense of Duterte came after Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV showed pictures of Duterte and Lim together and said the president should be prosecuted along with Sen. Leila de Lima since she also had a picture with confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
