Lawyer of 'Alabang Boys' files complaint with CHR

The camp of alleged drug suspects Richard Brodett and Joseph Tecson filed a human rights complaint against officers and heads of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) at the Commission on Human Rights last night.

Felisberto Verano, the suspects’ lawyer, filed the complaint for “violation of their rights against illegal arrest, search and seizure, right to freedom for the act of beating Brodett when he was illegally arrested against PDEA officers involved and heads of PDEA.”

“Under the Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom, that is why we are filing this complaint. This is asserting their rights against illegal arrest, search and seizure,” Verano told The STAR in a phone interview.

“Maliwanag na inabuso,” Verano added.

He said that if they just allow this to happen, nobody would stop PDEA anymore. “Wala nang pipigil sa kanila.”

Verano expressed confidence that they have a probable cause against the PDEA executives because they won’t waste the time of the CHR if they don’t have enough grounds.

The CHR is still asking Verano to accomplish a final complaint sheet and what they passed last night were just affidavits and statements and signed the complaint form related to the arrest of Brodett, Tecson and a third suspect, Jorge Jordan Joseph, collectively known as the “Alabang Boys.”

Verano said Human Rights Chair Leila De Lima told him that the CHR would review the complaint and eventually discuss it with the commission and if proved that there were human rights violations, the CHR will assume jurisdiction.

PDEA agents arrested Brodett and Joseph in a drug buy bust operation last Sept. 19 inside the affluent Ayala Alabang Village. Tecson was later nabbed in Cubao, Quezon City.

The three are scions of wealthy and prominent families.

Last month, before Christmas day, the investigating prosecutor John Resado, his immediate superior State Prosecutor Philip Kimpo and Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño signed a resolution dismissing the case and ordering the PDEA to free the suspects.

Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino, head of the PDEA team that arrested the three suspects, had testified that the father of suspect Tecson allegedly tried to bribe him with P3 million to release them.