(Eagle News) — The Palace on Thursday, July 19, said it was “very pleased” with the Department of Justice’s decision to indict Kerwin Espinosa and others.
“The Palace is very pleased that the wheels of justice are turning to hold [them] accountable,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
In reversing the decision of a previous panel, the panel composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera, Anna Noreen Devanadera and Prosecution Attorney Herbert Calvin Abugan said the “positive allegations of Marcelo Adorco identifying” Espinosa, Peter Co, Lovely Impal and Ruel Malindagan as his cohorts were “sufficient” to charge them with conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade.
According to the new panel, conspiracy to commit illegal drug trade under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was “distinct” from drug trading.
It said the “agreement to trade in drugs is the gravaman of such an offense,” and as such, the drugs themselves as “corpus delicti” of the drug trading “is not necessary under Section 26.”
