The Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Friday said they are investigating if alleged drug lord Peter Lim left the country through ''the backdoor ''channels.

In a press conference, Brig. Gen. Ignatius Ferro, CIDG director, said based on their coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, there is no indication that Lim left.

"But we are not discounting the possibility that he went out through the backdoor. So that is what we are investigating now," Ferro said.

He said the CIDG has been tracking down Lim for a long time and they were hoping to serve a warrant of arrest.

Asked if Lim is in Davao, Ferro said they still need to validate this.

"We hope that people will give us information on his whereabouts," he said.

Last week, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said there is a possibility that Lim has left the country.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the businessman has been the subject of an international manhunt since he was included in the “red notice” list of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in March 2019.

Guevarra said Lim’s passport expired in 2019 and his last foreign trip was in 2017. Ella Dionisio/DMS