Broker in P50-M DOJ drug bribe got P1 M

An alleged move to use bribery to effect the release of three prominent drug trafficking suspects would have not been possible without the help of at least two persons who brokered the supposed deal with prosecutors at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Meanwhile, a government prosecutor said yesterday the Presidential Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is just making noise to cover up its mismanagement of the drug case, which led prosecutors to recommend its dismissal due to technicalities.

Senior State Prosecutor Philip Kimpo, vice chair of the DOJ’s task force against narcotics and dangerous drugs, said the case was recommended for dismissal last Dec. 2 after they found the PDEA committed several lapses in the conduct of its entrapment operation and the handling of evidence reportedly seized from the suspects.

“There were violations of their constitutional rights. It was an illegal arrest. It was the fruit of a poisonous tree. The dismissal of the case was very valid,” he said.

Kimpo added that the PDEA might have panicked when it received information that the case was being recommended for dismissal by State Prosecutor John Resado.

A reliable source told The STAR that a certain Alex Tan allegedly “fixed” prosecutors who investigated the complaint filed by PDEA lawyers against drug suspects Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson.

Another person identified by the same source as a certain Mike Muslim was the one who tried to have Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez sign an order for the release of three drug suspects just before the lengthy Christmas break.

“That Mike Muslim supposedly got P1 million to secure the order, which was not signed after all. It was their group with Alex Tan that brokered the deal,” the informant said.

Gonzalez earlier confirmed an attempt inside his office to have him sign a draft order for the suspects’ release following a supposed resolution of prosecutors that he had not reviewed. He said he recalled the order was placed on his desk but he did not sign it.

Gonzalez also disclosed that a lawyer and a mother of one of the suspects asked him on Dec. 23 or Dec. 24 for a Christmas furlough for the suspects, but he told them it was not possible.

Gonzalez had earlier ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the scheme that could have resulted in the release of Brodett and his fellow suspects. Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño had already denied receiving any bribe money from the camp of the drug suspects, currently detained by PDEA.

He said lawyers of the suspects did not even try to talk to him when the case reached his office for final review.

Zuño believes their resolution, which did not find probable cause to recommend the trial of Brodett, Joseph and Tecson, was fair and based on facts presented by both sides.

Prosecutor bats for suspects’ release

Kimpo said even though the case was recommended for dismissal, it is still subject to automatic review by Gonzalez as the suspects face prison terms that are beyond five years.

He said the suspects should be released from PDEA custody pending the review.

The PDEA officials “are afraid the suspects will go into hiding if they are released. But the dispositive portion said they should be released. Anyway, they can be rearrested if the recommendation is reversed by (Gonzalez). However, if it is affirmed, (the PDEA) could be charged with arbitrary detention,” Kimpo said.

He said the case was investigated by Regado, deemed valid by Prosecutor Mike Ladaga, who sent it to him. He then approved it and forwarded it to Zuño, who also approved the dismissal.

Kimpo dared PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago to identify the DOJ officials and prosecutors who were offered the bribe. “Was there really truth to that or was it just a figment of the PDEA’s imagination designed to cover up for its shortcomings?” he said.

Kimpo also dared Dionisio to produce the PDEA’s informant so the Senate can question him or her. He said that as far as he know, there was no P50-million bribe for the prosecutors involved in the case.

Apart from the NBI probe, the Senate committee on dangerous drugs, led by Sen. Gringo Honasan, is also set to investigate the alleged bribery in the drug case.

The alleged bribery was exclusively reported by The STAR on Dec. 23, or four days after PDEA received the findings of DOJ prosecutors recommending the dismissal of the complaint their lawyers had filed against the three drug suspects. A reliable source alleged that P50-million exchanged hands to expedite the release of the three suspects.

It was also reported last month that the suspects allegedly tried to bribe arresting PDEA officials with P20 million for their release. A PDEA official reportedly confirmed an attempt by the drug suspects’ camp to bribe them immediately after the arrest.

Families and lawyers of Brodett and company had already denied the allegation, arguing that the dismissal of the complaint was because of their strong defense.

The drug suspects were arrested during buy-bust and follow-up anti-drug operations in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City and Araneta Center in Quezon City by the PDEA Special Enforcement Service on Sept. 20. All three were caught in the act of selling illegal drugs to PDEA agents who posed as buyers.