DRUG BRIBE MESS

Go On Leave, Arroyo Tells DOJ Execs

MANILA, Philippines-Saying she was also a mother "bothered" by the
idea of releasing drug pushers out in the streets, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo Sunday ordered all justice officials and prosecutors
accused of freeing drug suspects in exchange for a bribe to "take a
leave of absence."

"Today, I instructed Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to require leave
of absence of all officials and prosecutors of the Department of
Justice alleged to have received bribes in exchange for the release of
suspected drug dealers from certain rich and influential families,"
she said in a statement.

Ms Arroyo was reacting to allegations that certain justice department
officials were bribed into dropping charges against drug suspects,
including the so-called "Alabang Boys."

The state prosecutors have been accused of dismissing the charges
against Richard Brodett, Joseph Tecson and Jorge Joseph after P50
million allegedly changed hands. The officials have denied the allegation.

Gonzalez Sunday said he would ask Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito
Zuno and three other prosecutors to go on leave following Malacanang's
order. The resolution dismissing the charges against the "Alabang
Boys" was upheld by Zuno.

Spare no one

The President said no one should be spared. "The full force of the
government's powers to act against those that betray public trust
should be applied swiftly and unequivocally, more so in this case
which includes illegal drugs," she said.

"I am a mother who is bothered by an alleged conspiracy to let loose
on our streets new pushers of illegal drugs," Ms Arroyo said. "What if
they lurk on my street?"

Gonzalez also said he would take up with Ms Arroyo the case of
Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor who called up the Philippine Drug
Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to inquire about the three suspects'
continued detention despite being cleared by the prosecutors.

"The safest thing is to let all of them go on leave. That's a
presidential order," Gonzalez said.

Blancaflor, too

Asked if the officials who should go on leave included Prosecutors
John Resado, Misael Ladaga, Phillip Kimpo and Zuno, Gonzalez answered
in the affirmative.

"That can also include Undersecretary Blancaflor. I want to clarify
his case with the President because he was also deeply involved,"
Gonzalez said.

Blancaflor, aside from making the call to PDEA upon the request of an
uncle of one of the respondents, also had his secretary send a release
order drafted by Brodett and Tecson's lawyer, Felisberto Verano, to
the office of Gonzalez for his signature.

PDEA agents arrested Brodett and Joseph in Ayala-Alabang, Muntinlupa
City, and Tecson in Cubao, Quezon City, in September last year. The
group was allegedly into the sale of banned substances such as Ecstasy
and cocaine in some of the high-end bars in Metro Manila.

"[The prosecutors] has already asked that they be relieved [of their
duties in the anti-drug task force of the justice department]. I
turned it down because it might appear they are being punished without
trial," Gonzalez said.

Other government prosecutors were also under fire for allegedly
bungling the case against Chinese suspected drug dealer Lucky Ong. The
PDEA also gathered evidence against Ong only to be rebuffed by the
prosecutors.

Cabinet agenda

Secretary Silvestre Bello Sunday said the drug problem would be the
first on the agenda in the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, chair of the Dangerous Drugs Board, was
tapped to make a presentation on the status of all drug cases in the
country, Bello said.

An order for the release of the three young men drafted by Verano and
printed on a justice department letterhead for the signature of
Gonzalez added fuel to the controversy.

Unethical

Gonzalez did not sign the release order, saying that he was still
reviewing the resolution.

Gonzalez, who had met with Verano a few days before Christmas last
year, said the bribery story also prevented him from signing the
release order.

He assailed Verano's move to draft the order as unethical, while an
anticrime watch group asked the Supreme Court to disbar Verano.

"We should not allow a breach in our determined war against the menace
of illegal drugs and against narco-politics on a broader level," Ms
Arroyo said.

"We are witness to the tragedy that befell countries that have taken a
pause on their war on illegal drugs . Our war on drugs should be
vigilant and unrelenting. It should not be compromised," she said.