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Prosecutors support Zuño,Kimpo, Resado; slam PDEA

These prosecutors are hopeless. They see nothing wrong in an undersecretary following up the release of a drug pusher. They see nothing wrong in a defense lawyer preparing a release order, which should be their job. Ang yayabang pa.

by Evangeline de Vera
Malaya

State prosecutors at the Department of Justice yesterday threw their support behind the resolution of the anti-narcotics task force that dismissed the drug charges against the so-called Alabang Boys.

The 100-strong State Prosecutors Association, led by its president State Prosecutor Crisaldo Rioflorido, faced the media following an emergency meeting among its members to denounce the criticisms hurled at the DOJ fiscals triggered by allegations by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency of a payoff in exchange for the release of the three suspects.

Rioflorido said state prosecutors are generally demoralized over the attacks on their integrity.

He said a number of prosecutors who are not members of the task force reviewed the Dec. 2, 2008 resolution penned by State Prosecutor John Resado and found nothing irregular in the ruling.

He noted PDEA agents appeared to have committed some glaring lapses that led to the dismissal of the charges.

“Every time there is a dismissal, baka ibalik sa amin ang sisi sa mga lapses ng PDEA. Tali ang kamay namin as quasi-judicial officers. We only base our decisions and resolutions on evidence presented by PDEA,” he said.

The prosecutors further said that of the 42 cases handled by the anti-narcotics task force, only three were dismissed because of the non-appearance of PDEA agents in preliminary hearings to testify against drug suspects.

They also said that PDEA agents failed to show evidence they have been bribed, noting that PDEA executive director Dionisio Santiago admitted during the hearing of the House oversight committee on dangerous drugs that they floated an alleged P50 million payoff to prosecutors merely to prevent the dismissal of the charges.

State Prosecutor Cristina Rilloraza said truant PDEA agents appear to be sabotaging drug cases. “They want prosecutors to be a rubber stamp of the PDEA.”

Rilloraza said PDEA officers regularly fail to attend hearings when indictments reach the court, and this result in the dismissal of the cases.

The state prosecutors stood by Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor, saying there was nothing wrong with his calling PDEA agents to inquire about the status of the case of Richard Brodett, Joseph Tecson and Jorge Joseph, and urging PDEA to release the three on the basis of task force’s Dec. 2, 2008 resolution dismissing the charges.

The three were arrested by PDEA agents in buy-bust operations last September in Quezon City and Muntinlupa.

Blancaflor has admitted calling PDEA officials to ask for the release of the drug suspects despite an automatic review of the resolution, based as provided by memorandum circular No. 46 issued in 2003.

Rioflorido called for the disbandment of the 20-member task force chaired by Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño, whose members have reportedly planned to resign en masse.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez ordered them to stay put.

“How can we work under a cloud of suspicion? The prosecutors here have low morale because of these accusations of payoff. The PDEA should stop the ‘psy-war’ and name names on who among us got the bribe,” said Zuño.

Employes of the justice department and members of prosecutors association will come to work on Monday in red shirt and black armbands in protest of what they said was the picture painted by PDEA and some congressmen against some of their members.

They will also display a banner in front of the DOJ stating their support for the prosecutors.

Rep. Simeon Datumanong (Lakas, Maguindanao), who issued memorandum circular No. 46 when he was justice secretary in 2003, said it was his intention that suspects be detained pending an automatic review of the resolution dismissing the charges against them.

The clarification belied the claim of state prosecutor John Resado who told the House committee earlier this week that the suspects could be released pending automatic review of the task force’s resolution.

Datumanong, deputy speaker for Mindanao, said if the case is under review after it is already dismissed by a prosecutor, “the suspects can’t be released yet because the case is not actually dismissed since it is still under review.”

“If it is on automatic review, or to be brought to the review of the Secretary (of Justice) the decision of the investigating prosecutor is merely recommendatory. The final authority is with the Secretary, whether he sustains or reverses it,” he said.

He supported Gonzalez’ stand that the three suspects could not be released as violation of R.A. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002 is a capital offense.

Rep. Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr. (Kampi, Cavite), a lawyer, said the committee on dangerous drugs chaired by Rep. Roque Ablan (Lakas, Ilocos Norte) would review R.A. 9165 to safeguard law enforcement agencies conducting drug bust operations because most drug cases are dismissed on technicalities. – With Wendell Vigilia

Published inIllegal DrugsMilitary

35 Comments

  1. Sorry, I inadvertently checked the “comments off” of this thread.

    You can now comment.

  2. chi chi

    The government prosecutors see nothing wrong with them doing unethical and illegal transactions, very Gloria!

  3. Al Al

    Why are they threatening to resign?

    RESIGN! Right now!

  4. chi chi

    “…most drug cases are dismissed on technicalities”

    That’s where the money flows kaya sinasadya nilang humahanap ng butas kahit ga-butas karayom lang, basta may butas.

    Ang pekeng gobyerno ni Gloria ay sumusunod sa butas, hindi sa batas!

  5. Al Al

    On the other hand, they should not resign. They should be charged and imprisoned.

    Prosecutors obstructing justice. Where in the world does that happen. Only in the Philippines!

  6. Al Al

    “Ang pekeng gobyerno ni Gloria ay sumusunod sa butas, hindi sa batas!”

    That’s good, Chi.

  7. chi chi

    The prosecutors planned to resign en masse.

    Naku ha, nagbanta pa! Hahaha!

    Actually, ang tinatakot ng mga ulol na yan ay ang kanilang bossing na si Raul Gonzales. Sa takot naman ni Gunggong na maikanta ay ayan at solid daw ang kanyang suporta sa mga prosecutors. Mabait na rin sya ngayon kay Blancafor!

  8. chi chi

    Thanks, Al. Kapag ako ay ginagalit ni Gloria at mga amuyong ay medyo gumagana ng konti ang tuktok ko. 🙂

  9. rose rose

    Why is siraulo telling them to stay? Takot maiwanan ? He should join them and resign as well at kaladkarin na rin niya si putot and they will make a good pair..siraulo and putot…nataranta!

  10. bitchevil bitchevil

    Resignation is not enough. They should all go to jail.

  11. bitchevil bitchevil

    One reason why the drug problem in the country is very difficult to solve is because the users involve celebrities and prominent people. If there are buyers, there will always be suppliers. It’s simply the law of supply and demand. For instance, some of popular comedian Dolphy’s grandsons are drug addicts. Nino Muhlach was arrested a few times in the past but was never convicted. Whether he bribed his way out or not, that’s the question he and the police knew. Some congressmen are themselves drug users. Rep. Ricky Sandoval is one.

  12. Chabeli Chabeli

    I did not see the point of these bunch of corrupt-looking prosecutors, including Zino, Kimpo & Resado, announcing their resignation in public ! Why all the drama ? Their actions just made them all look guilty !

    I agree with Al (January 10th, 2009 at 10:31 am), “Why are they threatening to resign? RESIGN! Right now!” and with Bitchevil (January 10th, 2009 at 10:49 am), “..They should all go to jail.”

    The smell of corruption in the “Department Store of Justice” cannot be hidden anymore. It is precisely their reactions that opened their can of worms, & now they panic & do a presscon to hide their stench. What a bunch of losers !

  13. Chabeli Chabeli

    Bitchevil,

    You mention (January 10th, 2009 at 11:52 am) that
    prominent personalities, as well as “..Some congressmen are themselves drug users. Rep. Ricky Sandoval is one.”

    I wondered nga why he frequented the club, Embassy..not that I hang out there, I heard from friends that he frequents the place..I guess the rumour indeed is true that Embassy is a drug haven. Yuck.

  14. Napapanganga na lang ako sa corruption sa justice department ng Pilipinas. Saan ka naman nakakita na iyong mga prosecutor protecting criminals instead of prosecuting them so that justice may be done. Shocking talaga! Nakakahiya!

  15. MPRivera MPRivera

    they should not only go to jail.

    should be hanged or tabunan nang buhay!

  16. skip skip

    Atty John Resado,

    My heart goes out to you.

    You’re young. You’re talented. You’re on your way to making you first ten million.

    Then Marcelino comes and busts the party.

    That is demoralizing.

  17. Elvira Elvira

    Unbilibabol but true lahat ng mga nangyayari sa Pinas ngayon!
    Kaya ang question sentence dito always starts with “Where in the world…..”and the response is always..”Onli in da Pilipins!”

    Saka, ang dami pang me “poultry” na ngayon sa atin. Uso na ang bigayan ng mga “Manok!” wala ng “buying, onli giving!”

    At saka dito lang sa Pinas, ang mga Prosecutors at da same time Executors na rin…at pag di nasunod gusto nila…mag-re-resign na rin!

    Di ba dapat hindi na sila nagbabanta? DO it guys…’yan eh kung kaya ninyong mawalan ng mga “MANOK!”

    Sori na lang mga ordinaryong Pinoys…mag-alaga muna kayo ng mga “manok!”

  18. MPRivera MPRivera

    “Prosecutors support Zuño,Kimpo, Resado; slam PDEA”

    eh, sino pa nga ba ang magtatakipan ng kanyakanyang baho kundi sila ring naglulublob sa tae!

    talaga naman itong adminiSTRAYtion ni the PGMA (Power Grabber Macapagal-Arroyo), oo. Palibhasa ay mga bulag na dahil natusok ang mga balintataw sa katatapal ng kuwarta sa mata kaya pinipilit na ang mga tao ay maniwala sa kanila.

    nakapgtataka bang para nang ISINUMPA ang pilipinas? dahil sa pagiging ganid ng mga gahamang animal kaya ‘ayan, wala nang pagtino ang kabataan. laganap ang drogang ang nagbebenta ay ‘yun mismong mga kaanak ng tinatawag na “mararangal ng lingkod ng bayang merong napakatataas na pinag-aralan” na sila mismong dapat maging huwaran, eh hindi at sila pa ang kapural sa lahat ng kawalanghiyaan!

  19. Valdemar Valdemar

    This must be a good employment year. Resignations give chances to those out of job. Give them chance also to dip their hands on opportunities.

  20. eddfajardo eddfajardo

    Prosecutors threatening to resign? Good riddance!!! Akala ba nila nagbibigay sila ng servicio sa bayan? Mga salot kayo sa totoo lang. Dapat kayo sa kulungan together with your boss.

  21. chi chi

    “One of the flaws of criminal justice system is the inability of government to hire good prosecution lawyers, according to Ermita.” – Tribune

    O, e di ba yan naman talaga ang gusto ni Gloria, ang BOBO lahat ang nasa paligid nya para always tuloy ang ‘ligaya’ sa nakaw na trono!

  22. Resado? Hindi pa naging quesado! Bwahahahahaha! Maluto sila ng buhay! Nananakot pa ha? E di mag-resign sila. Ulol din ano?

  23. Lahat ng lumalabas sa bunganga ni Ermita, palpak! Kundi ba naman gago e bakit sasabihin pa niyang “inability of government” iyong di makahanap ng qualified prosecution lawyers. Unggoy! Bobo! Puro kasi appointee nila para hindi sila matanggal. Sinong niloloko ng ungas? Mga pilipino?

  24. From Monsag:

    Well, from where I sit, State “Prosecutors” are either lawyers who could not make it in private practice, or good lawyers whose greed cannot be moderated, thus they chose to be “State Prosecutors” – a very lucrative way to get paid for not prosecuting, or for getting paid for “prosecuting” the “enemies” of their illegitimate president.

    Eh, kung matitino ba naman yang mga yan, eh di ang pinorosecute na nila noon pa man eh ang fake president, di ba? At sa palagay ba natin, kung “tama agad” kung ilang manok ang inalok kay inJustice Sec. Gonzales, eh di wala na sana itong zarsuelang ito.
    Oh, well, only in Pinas.

  25. Ang hirap kasi sa Pilipinas, pati iyong mga judges, pinapakialam ni Gloria Dorobo ang pagpili at nilalagay ang mga bobong wala namang mga qualification sa totoo lang, nagbayad lang yata para maipasa sa bar, etc. Ang masama pa, dinadaan lang sa palakasan ang pagpili ng mga hukom at taga-usig kaya ayan, puro kamote ang nakaupo! Yuck! Ang sama ng sistema sa totoo lang, di lang “person” lalo na iyong mga galing Ateneo na walang mga moralidad gaya noong asawa ni Gloria Dorobo!

    Kawawang bansa!

  26. Monsag: State “Prosecutors” are either lawyers who could not make it in private practice, or good lawyers whose greed cannot be moderated, thus they chose to be “State Prosecutors” – a very lucrative way to get paid for not prosecuting, or for getting paid for “prosecuting” the “enemies” of their illegitimate president.

    *****
    Iyan kasi ang maling sistema na kung saan ginaya mali pa. Over in the land of the fluctuating yen, law students when they graduate, after passing the national exam, go into training as judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers depending on what they would like to be. That way they become experts in their own respective field—walang kamote at sipsip!!!

    And over here, there is no excuse or room for mistakes and misdemeanors like what the prosecutors in charge of the Alabang Boys’ case do. Dito iyan, sibak na ang mga pulpol lalo na kung may involved na bribe money, kahit attempt lang.

    Now is the time to have the gunggong DOJ minister, et al be subjected to a thorough investigation and scrutiny. Limpak-limpak na siguro ang pera ng mga unggoy! Imbestigahan din kung magkano ang balato sa Malacanang ora mismo!

    Sibakin na, ngayon taon na!!!

  27. bitchevil bitchevil

    We should not allow ourselves to be distracted by the media emphasis on a supposed family feud among the Brodetts from the real issue in the “Alabang Boys (actually adult Men)” incident.

    We would fall into the psychological trap of the drug syndicates if we allowed ourselves to be tricked into lapping up the details of a supposed family quarrel over property, money or whatever, and forgetting the core issue of drugs being a Menace.

    The country is systematically being overrun by a drug cartel whose operations have been estimated to fetch them at least P500 BILLION a year.

  28. BE: The country is systematically being overrun by a drug cartel whose operations have been estimated to fetch them at least P500 BILLION a year.
    *****

    Tama ka diyan sa drug cartel sa Pilipinas with protection from the bigshots in the government. Ang dami ngang ginagawang mga documentary as a matter of fact ng drug trafficking from the Philippines lalo na shabu at marijuana. Isang nahuli nga dito na seaman na nagdala ng 2.5 kgs. ng shabu, baril at marijuana, ang sabi ang contact niya at ng isa pang kasama niyang seaman din na nahuli din sa pier sa Tokyo, military daw ang promotor na mataas ang rangko.

    Kaya puede ba tama na ang arte nila Yano na recommendation daw nila doon sa mandarambong. Ulol din ano? Parang nagbigay sila ng information doon sa pinuno ng yakuza sa Pilipinas para hindi mahuli ang mga kriminal na batakan nila.

    Bilib ka rin ano—sa mga katarantaduhan ng mga inutil!

  29. MPRivera MPRivera

    chi Says:

    January 10th, 2009 at 11:30 pm

    “One of the flaws of criminal justice system is the inability of government to hire good prosecution lawyers, according to Ermita.” – Tribune

    O, e di ba yan naman talaga ang gusto ni Gloria, ang BOBO lahat ang nasa paligid nya para always tuloy ang ‘ligaya’ sa nakaw na trono!

    **************************************************

    yeesssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!

    sa wakas! inamin din ng isa sa pinakagagong gabinete ni the PGMA (the Power Grabber Macapagal-Arroyo) na si eduardo ermitae na pawang mga BOPOL, TANGA, INUTIL at BULOL ang mga abongago ng bogus na adminiSTRAYsiyon. kasama na siya sa mga bopol na ito!

    nakakahiyang tawaging kababayang batanggenyo!

  30. syria syria

    MPR, you are right. What Ermita did was a real strong slap on the faces of the DOJ’s prosecution lawyers. He publicly humiliated and embarassed all of them damaging their egos.

    However, what he did was a big mistake. He stepped into the shoes of those who were honest and loyal. He collectively assumed that all of them were like their super corrupt chief.

    What Ermita doesn’t know is the salary of the prosecutors are very low, where the janitor of GSIS receives a higher salary than the 1st level prosecutor. He doesn’t know that one of DOJ’s senior prosecutor still lives in an apartment, drives a 30 year old bantam car and that there were times that their electricity was cut-off since his family cannot afford to pay its bills.

    Just now, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered all officials of the Department of Justice (DoJ) accused of bribery in a controversial drug case to go on leave.

    Naku po, papogi na naman. Sino kaya ang mga accused?

    Hopefully, one or more of those who were aggrieved will sqeal publicly.

  31. syria syria

    MPR, you are right. What Ermita did was a real strong slap on the faces of the DOJ’s prosecution lawyers. He publicly humiliated and embarrassed all of them damaging their egos.

    However, what he did was a big mistake. He stepped into the shoes of those who were honest and loyal. He collectively assumed that all of them were like their super corrupt chief.

    What Ermita doesn’t know is the salaries of the prosecutors are very low, where the janitor of GSIS receives a higher salary than the 1st level prosecutor. He doesn’t know that one of DOJ’s senior prosecutor still lives in an apartment, drives a 30 year old bantam car and that there were times that their electricity was cut-off since his family cannot afford to pay its bills.

    Just now, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered all officials of the Department of Justice (DoJ) accused of bribery in a controversial drug case to go on leave.

    Naku po, papogi na naman. Sino kaya ang mga accused?

    Hopefully, one or more of those who were aggrieved will squeal publicly.

  32. bitchevil bitchevil

    I have an observation to make about Senator Ping Lacson. It was a public knowledge that he and DOJ Sickretary Raul Goonzalez were in bad blood. Lacson kept threatening to block Raul’s confirmation. All of a sudden, Lacson agreed to Raul’s confirmation. This was the time when the Kuratong Baleleng case was being resurrected. Was there a connection? And now, Lacson said there’s no need to conduct a Senate hearing on the drug case because the Congress already more than enough information. I still trust Lacson…but it just makes me wonder.

  33. Mabigat na problema ang droga, maraming bansa sa South America ang nanganganib na itumba ng perang galing sa drug mafia. Sa ngayon, naguguluhan ang mga Kano kung paano nila ipo-promote ang kanilang war on terror sa Mexico dahil lumalala ang drug violence ngayon doon at ito na ang pinakamalaking problema ngayon ng Mexico.

    Dito sa Pinas, ang drug money ay ginagamit laban sa mga seryosong mga ahenteng lumalaban sa mga sindikato.Kaya nga noong nasa puwesto pa si Corpuz, napaniwala siya na sangkot sa narco-politics si Lacson. Laking kahihiyan kay Corpuz nung naramdaman niyang naisahan siya ng sindikato dahil ang mga bank account kuno ni Lacson ay may numerong naka-index sa country code. Dobleng pahiya pa siya nung sabihin ng star witness niyang si Rosebud na nagtrabaho daw siya sa Binondo Central Bank, na isa lamang figure of speech. Para makalimutan ang kapalpakan nila, itinumba si John Campos. Tapos ang kwento.

  34. bitchevil bitchevil

    The Philippines will soon be the next Columbia. Many Latin America countries cannot solve the drug problems for decades.
    In Mexico, families are killed regularly by rival drug syndicates. Even police officers, judges and government officials who refused to cooperate were killed. Since there’s no big name killed yet in the Philippines, does this indicate that every official is cooperating with the drug syndicates?

  35. MPRivera MPRivera

    puwede kayang taytol nito ay “Mga Prosecutors na supot sina Zuño,Kimpo, at Resado”?

    nagtatanong lang kung puwede, kung hindi, eh di si esperon na lang mag-isa ang supot!

    eh bakit sila nananakot na magreresayn lang sa halip na ibulgar kung sino ang pumaparte ng malalaki at nagpapasasa sa nagmamantikang matatabang manok?

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