SAN FERNANDO, La Union, Philippines – The La Union clergy led by Bishop Artemio Rillera, together with concerned groups and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Vicente Sotto III, slammed what they alleged to be a “last-minute” resolution of former justice secretary Raul Gonzalez ordering the withdrawal of charges against the suspected financier of the shabu laboratory raided in Naguilian town last year.
“We expressed our objection to it. We will ask the Department of Justice, through acting Secretary Agnes Devanadera, to review the resolution because it might not have been reviewed properly by Gonzalez,” Sotto told The STAR here Thursday afternoon.
Gonzalez, in a June 3 resolution, ordered La Union prosecutor Danilo Bumacod to withdraw the information he filed against Joselito Artuz, alias George Cordero, who shabu lab caretaker Dante Palaganas had tagged as the alleged financier of the illegal facility in Barangay Bimmotobot.
Gonzalez also directed Bumacod to file charges against three junior policemen earlier acquitted due to supposed lack of evidence.
Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, former police chief of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, who was tagged by Palaganas as the alleged protector of the shabu lab, is now detained at the La Union provincial jail.
Borromeo’s motion to be detained at Camp Crame instead is still pending in court.
Rillera said he was saddened with the sudden turn of events. “We don’t know the real reason. Let’s wait for the court to take up the matter,” he said.
Chief Superintendent Ramon Gatan, Ilocos regional police director and head of Task Force Bimmotobot, said they would file a motion opposing Gonzalez’s resolution.
“I think it is already moot and academic because the case against the two suspects was already filed and they already have warrants. It’s very obvious that there is something fishy in the resolution,” he said, adding that efforts were underway to arrest Artuz.
For his part, Col. Roberto Opeña, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, raised suspicion on the resolution, noting that it was prepared on June 2, signed the next day, and Gonzalez vacated his DOJ post on June 4.
“It was discouraging because (the resolution) was rushed. It also did not mention Borromeo who was already in jail,” Opeña said.
Bumacod could not be reached for comment because his father died Wednesday and he received the resolution the previous day.