Malacanang asked on Thursday suspected drug lord Peter Lim to surrender and prove his innocence in court.

The Makati Region Trial Court has ordered the arrest of Lim for alleged conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading.

"We are asking Peter Lim, please surrender. If you are innocent, prove your innocence in court. You will be given your day in Court," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing.

He said the Philippines has proven to the world that it has an independent judiciary.

"You have nothing to fear by way of being a victim of injustice. We have competent courts, so I think he should surrender," he added.

Asked if Lim was still in the country, Roque said, "there's no information that he has left."

In July 2016, Lim met with President Rodrigo Duterte to deny allegations he is a drug lord.

Duterte and Lim reportedly are "kumpare" as they both stood as primary sponsors in a wedding in Cebu in June 2016.

In an apparent move to distance Duterte from Lim, Roque said, "I repeat, I think the most that he had was there was an occasion where they both stood as wedding sponsors."

"But the President does not personally know Peter Lim. He cannot deny, not having been in an occasion with him because as I said, there was a wedding that they were there together but that’s the full extent. But despite that, he is now technically, a fugitive from the law, because there’s a warrant of arrest against him," he added. Celerina Monte/DMS