Several names have come up as the connections that the parents of Richard Brodett, one of the suspects in the September 2008 Ayala Alabang drug buy bust, tapped to free him and his two friends, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson.
Officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said the lobbying came loaded with multi-million peso offers.
It did not matter if one was in or out of the government as long as he was willing to say the word like former Navotas Rep. Ricky Sandoval.
Golf, supposedly a game of honorable men, provided an important link in this despicable affair that that further ravaged the people’s faith in the justice system. PDEA director general Dionisio Santiago said Sandoval, aside from being a townmate, is a golfing buddy. Sandoval, on the other hand, said that it was through golf that he met Butch Brodett, the father of Richard.
Santiago said a few months back, Sandoval called him up and asked, “Pare, ano’ng balita? May magagawa pa ba?”
Santiago said he told Sandoval the case is with DOJ and therefore out of his hands. That’s why it was at DOJ that the Brodetts next focused their lobbying.
Another Brodett brother, Phillip, also activated connections to free Richard and his friends. Phillip, a former government representative in the anomaly-riddled Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation, called up Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor to ask for his help in lobbying with PDEA for the release of his nephew before Christmas.
At that time, the Brodetts’ connection had apparently worked with the DOJ because a resolution had been issued dismissing the case against the three. The resolution, which also states that Brodett, Joseph and Tecson should be released, was prepared by State Prosecutor John Resado, State Senior Prosecutor Philip Kimpo, and Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño.
The three prosecutors said in the past, the decision whether to release the accused or not before charges are filed are made only at the level of the chief state prosecutor despite Memorandum Circular 46 which requires approval of the secretary of justice in cases involving illegal drugs and other crimes punishable by imprisonment of more than five years.
PDEA lawyer Alvaro Lazaro recalled the following conversation with Resado on Dec. 19 when he was informed about the resolution ordering the release of the three suspects:
Lazaro: Bakit nagkabaligtaran? Sabi mo i-file na ang complaint.
Resado: Delikado. Huwag tayo sa telepono mag-usap.
Lazaro: Bakit?
Resado: Kasi si Chief Prosecutor Zuño ang pumirma.
Blancaflor, who is known as Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita’s man at DOJ (he used to be defense undersecretary) takes charge of anti-terrorism, and human rights matters. His job does not cover illegal drugs. Yet when Phillip called him up about the release of his nephew involved in illegal drugs, he didn’t hesitate to talk with Major Ferdinand Marcelino, head of agency’s Special Enforcement Service.
Blancaflor said the Marine officer on detail with PDEA told him that they are not releasing the three until the Justice Secretary affirmed the resolution as provided for in DOJ Memo 46. He said he relayed Marcelino’s answer to Phillip.
Despite that conversation with Marcelino, Blancaflor did messengerial service again for the lawyer of suspects, Felisberto Verano Jr., who is his fraternity brother at the Ateneo. Verano was also a law professor of State Prosecutor John Resado.
Blancaflor allowed his secretary to bring to the office of Gonzalez the release order prepared by Verano on DOJ letterhead.
The sordid drama of injustice to the Filipino people is still unfolding and we can be sure that we will be hearing new names in the coming days.
If Phillip Brodett tried to tap someone who he barely knows like Blancaflor, I would be surprised if he did not try to seek help from his former fellow Philcomsat directors like Benito Araneta, cousin and frequent travelling companion of Mike Arroyo.
Rep. Ricky Sandoval was among the so called “Spiced Boys” in Congress that included Mike Defensor. Sandoval frequented Dynasty, a plush hang-out for the VIP. There, he regularly patronized “ecstacy”, an illegal drug only the rich could afford. When this activity was reported in the media, Sandoval and his group switched places. Since the good congressman was and may still a drug user, most likely among his associates and suppliers were the Alabang Boys.
According to PDEA Director Santiago, Sandoval called him to request that the suspects not be harmed in the cell. I don’t think that was the only request Sandoval made. A call coming from a member of Congress was definitely some kind of pressure to the PDEA.
The Department of Justice’s rush to dismiss the “Alabang boys” drug trafficking case is not isolated. Many other cases dropped due to “illegal attest” or “lack of evidence”:
• Shabu lab in Naguilian, La Union, raided July 9, 2008, six truckloads of evidence gathered, case dismissed Nov. 12, 2008;
• Shabu factory in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, raided Oct. 30, 2007, Chinese, Singaporeans and Malaysians arrested, dismissed Jan. 10, 2008;
• Subic shabu transshipment, discovered May 25, 2008, more than 300 kilos of shabu in 75 boxes worth P4.62 billion seized, dismissed Aug. 27, 2008;
• Shabu lab in Calumpit, Bulacan, raided Dec. 22, 2006, three Chinese arrested with help of Beijing authorities, dismissed Nov. 23, 2007;
• Makati City buy-bust of Feb. 22, 2008, 200 Ecstasy tablets seized, dismissed June 16, 2008.
There’s also jailed Chinese drug lord Lucky Ong in Zamboanga City. Ong was already being tried for five months when DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzalez ordered him dropped from the charge sheet on Oct. 23, 2008. Again the excuses were “wrong arrest” and “insufficient evidence”, which at that point was already for the judge to determine.
There’s a third usual but unspoken reason for the rash of dismissals: case fixing by “Mike Muslim” and “Atty. Alex Tan”. They were named as fixers maneuvering to get the three “Alabang boys” drug trafficking suspects released. On questioning by congressmen, NBI chief Nestor Mantaring said he would ask around if DOJ personnel know them. But of course they do; it’s an open secret at the DOJ: the two fixers have been at it since June 2004.
Recently they tried to get junked a buy-bust case in Carmona, Cavite. Before that they tried to get reversed the charges against the operator of the Pasig shabu tiangge.
The case of the Pasig Shabu Tiangge was noisy about Sec. Gonzales himself, I hope they can link that to the rampant dismissals as the cases reach DOJ.
Ellen is right, it won’t be surprising if Benito Araneta is the next to throw his weight around to get his co-director’s nephew out of detention fast. But there are other co-directors of Philip Brodett in Philcomsat who can be as influential – like Enrique Locsin, former (or present?) president of Philippines Free Press, an older brother of Rep. Teddy Boy; and stepping-up several notches higher, Katrina Ponce-Enrile, the daughter of the third most powerful politician today. If these two guys fail, Benito is there as the last resort, being the cousin of the most powerful non-politician today.
Don’t forget Ricky Razon and the group of Mike Pidal Arroyo.
Back to the Valley Golf mauling incident:
“Businessman Delfin dela Paz lamented what he deemed was an ‘unfair’ decision to expel him from Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City and expressed concern over the effect it would have on the golf career of his 14-year-old son Bino.”
….The Pangandamans were only suspended for two years while the Dela Paz family was expelled. The Pangandamans are only golf enthusiasts while the two Dela Paz children are competing internationally for the Philippines.
Who owns Valley Golf? That is the reason.
Walang Pidal connections si dela Paz! Bakit nakatulong ba siya sa pag-ipon ng 1 million fake votes? O, di ba, klaro na ang mga connections? Hihirit pa ba kayo?
Sige lang, matulog lang kayo nang mahinbing mga Pinoys, hangg’t hindi kayo na-aapakan, oks lang!
Valley Golf Club is owned by the cousin of Mike Pidal Arroyo.
“the most powerful non-politician today” – the alpha et omega of kababuyan in Pinas.
Sa kahaba-haba man ng prosisyon, kay Mike Arroyo Pidal pa rin ang tuloy!
Ang tawag diyan “areglo,” a despicable system that should have been long scraped if indeed these people serving in the Philippine government love and want to be proud of their country. Apparently, majority are the unpatriotic type with no honor and dignity willing to sell their country to the highest bidder as in days of old.
Kawawang bansa!
Ellen,
Of course, having the right connections “pay”!
Mayaman na iyang Gunggonzales na iyan, you bet. Don’t be surprised if someday he will become the patron saint of the drug traffickers in the Philippines and elsewhere! Malapit nang mamatay ang inutil hindi pa rin tumitigil sa kawalanghiyaan.
I hope and pray that God will soon shorten his life, with or without the transplanted kidney in his head! Please, God, bawasan ninyo na po ang mga inutil, sakim, hidhid at ganid sa Pilipinas! Unahin na po ninyo iyong sickritary at iyong mga salot din na nakaupo sa Malacanang!
I mean it pays to have the right connections.
Yuko,
Someone said nagkamali daw ang mg doctor – instead of kidney transplant, they did a brain transplant on this SiRaulo, kaya pala he pisses everytime he thinks.
Chi: Sa kahaba-haba man ng prosisyon, kay Mike Arroyo Pidal pa rin ang tuloy!
*****
Same style of fixing a deal as revealed previously by Joey de Venecia. BTW, ano nang nangyari doon sa investigation ng Tsekwa deal na iyon? Bakit nakawala pa iyong matabang mama na pumapayat na daw sa kagagamit siguro ng drugs na regalo ng Alabang boys! Yuck!
Speaking of right connections, Manny Pacquiao has lots of them. Do you know that not only has Manny changed but also his mom? His mom now speaks English even if asked in Tagalog and Bisaya. His mom is now called PACMOM.
BE: ok lang ang right connections if it is used for the good of all…hindi ba in the use of dots (that we use to teach children) we would connect the dots to show the image or picture?…the pciture I get is siraulo and putot hovering over him…at ang dalawa ay may sungay.. dressed in red with a black cape and holding a pitch fork…full moon kagabi..at ang aswang ay lumilipad!
bitche,
‘yung mommy ni pakwan, este pacman, speaking of english today?
pacmom na siya?
wowowowwwww!
isa na pala siya ngayong pacmomow!
right connection$ can be traced and got through attache ca$e$ full of imported manok$.
pustahan tayo, tulo laway$ pa sa pag-aagawan ang mga ‘yan.
Oh you show see how Pacmom dance !
Correction: you should (not show).
Nothing’s wrong with right connections of course if it’s right. The problem with us is that we always want short cut and not follow the correct procedure. In other countries like the US, everyone is required to fall in line. This is one of the things Pinoys find it hard to change once they land in a foreign land.
Speaking of boxing, do you know that Manny Pacquiao commands between $15M to $20M per fight? But an upcoming RP world champion Bernabe Concepcion who just beat a Kenyan champ only gets paid $10,000.
bitche,
is the mom dancing to the tune of “a pacmom mom um momow, a pacmom mom um momow?”
My friend who was there to celebrate with the Pacmans overheard one foreigner made a comment upon seeing the mother danced: “Fuck his Mom”. He misunderstood the word Pacmom.