Probe panel on Subic drug case to convene on May 4

MANILA, Philippines - The independent panel which earlier had probed the bribery scandal in the so-called “Alabang Boys” case is set to reconvene on May 4, this time to investigate a supposed anomaly in the dismissal of charges against an alleged drug lord in the Subic Bay Freeport, Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera said yesterday.

Just like in its earlier inquiry, the Palace-created panel chaired by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Carolina Grino-Aquino will again determine the possible liabilities of prosecutors of the Department of Justice and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the case against Anthony Ang.

The three-man panel though will also look into the possible accountability of officers of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) who were involved in the case, Devanadera said.

Devanadera’s office has again been tapped to provide assistance to the probe panel, which also includes San Beda Graduate College of Law Dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raoul Victorina.

The panel earlier had investigated the dismissal of the case against drug suspects Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson.

President Arroyo accepted its findings and recommendations and ordered the filing of administrative charges against the state prosecutors who handled the case.

The case against Ang for the alleged smuggling of P4.62 billion worth of shabu to the Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City was dismissed on Aug. 27 last year.

Reports said 700 kilos of shabu were kept in carbon boxes labeled as computer parts. Investigation led authorities to Ang’s warehouse where 60 more boxes of shabu were found.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority administrator Armand Arreza earlier alleged that Ang tried to bribe PASG men and his agents with P50 million to dismiss the case. The charges were junked three months after the incident.

Earlier this year, Ang reportedly escaped to Taiwan with his entire family and four others also tagged in the shabu smuggling.