Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officials and not just the prosecutors from the Department of Justice should also be forced to take a leave of absence over the "Alabang Boys" controversy, Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño said Monday.
Zuño made the statement in an interview over radio dzBB a day after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered to go on leave DOJ prosecutors who were allegedly bribed into recommending the release of three drug suspects who are members of affluent families.
"Yung PDEA people who were also involved should also go on leave, kamukha ni Director [General Dionisio]
(The PDEA people who were also involved should also go on leave, like Director [Dionisio]
Marcelino, PDEA Special Enforcement Services head, alleged during the House dangerous drugs committee hearing last week that DOJ prosecutors were bribed with as much as P50 million to recommend the release of young drug suspects Richard Brodett, Jorge Jordana Joseph, and Joseph Tecson.
Marcelino, who arrested the three suspects in a buy bust operation last September 20, also alleged that the Tecsons offered him P3 million for him not to file charges in the first place.
In the radio interview, Zuño, who approved state prosecutor John Resado's December 2 resolution dismissing the case against the three, maintained that he never gave in to bribe attempts by drug suspects.
"Ang tagal ko na sa career na 'to, track record ko naman andami kong naipakulong sa drug cases. Hindi ako bumigay sa mga alok sakin, tapos ngayon pa," he said, adding that foreigners once busted for carrying shabu in an airport attempted to negotiate with him but he never entertained them.
(I have been in this career for a long time, my track record shows that I have imprisoned many suspects in drug cases. I never gave in to any bribe offer, but look what's happening now.)
Zuño, who said no one from the camp of the "Alabang Boys" attempted to contact him during the DOJ's preliminary investigation into the case, said he is left with no choice but to file the leave of absence as ordered by the President.
"I'm planning to prepare now my application to go on leave...sabi naman ng Secretary [Raul Gonzalez] wala akong magagawa yan ang utos ng Presidente (the Secretary said I can't do anything about it because it's the President's order)," Zuño said, adding that he will devote his free time to his family.
On Friday, Zuño said the DOJ's Task Force on Anti-Illegal Drugs requested to be relieved en masse amid the "Alabang Boys" controversy because they can no longer work under "a cloud of doubt." Gonzalez, however, denied the request.
Earlier in the day, Gonzalez said the President may be forming a new probe panel to look into the "Alabang Boys" case. Gonzalez said this prompted him to temporarily stop deciding on the matter based on the findings by the National Bureau of Investigation.
Henceforth, whichever is telling the truth – the Philippine Justice System is now slightly tainted, as it is now mar with doubts. Further, we can not deny the fact that there were some justices that really are doing such awful acts and deeds, thus, it is now high time for PGMA to curtail them and put an end on their unscrupulous activity.
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