PDEA officer: Someone from DOJ pocketed P50M bribe offer
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 01/07/2009 9:16 AM
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"Incorruptible" Marines Major Ferdinand Marcelino said Wednesday he is sure that the alleged P50 million bribe offer from the relatives of the "Alabang Boys" went to corrupt members of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
"Opo. Naniniwala po ako kasi ganun ka-agresibo. Napaka-irregular po, napaka-unfair (Yes. I believe so because they were very aggressive. It (the Alabang Boys' release order) was highly irregular, very unfair)," Marcelino told ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda when asked if he believes someone from DOJ received the P50 million bribe offer.
The Marines officer, who heads the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's (PDEA) Special Enforcement Service, had revealed during Tuesday's congressional hearing that he was initially offered with a P3 million bribe to not push through with the filing of charges against Richard Brodett, Joseph Tecson and Jorge Joseph.
The three men were arrested last September by Marcelino's team during a buy-bust operation. The PDEA said the agents seized several packs of ecstasy pills, cocaine and marijuana from the so-called Alabang Boys.
Marcelino said he provided congressmen the full details of the bribe tries and revealed several names during an executive session held after the public hearing on Tuesday.
"I was bribed twice with P3 million and it went up to P20 million. I detailed the rest of the story during the executive session," said the Marines officer, who was once labeled by PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago as an incorruptible agent.
The Marines officer told congressmen that the bribe was offered to him by a certain Joe 'Jotec' Tecson.
“Nagpakilala lang po sa akin sir, ang pangalan daw po niya, kamag- anak siya ni Joseph Tecson, nagpakilala siyang Joe Tecson sir. Hindi ko naman talaga siya na-meet sa personal. Sabi po niya sa akin sir: ‘O, ano na lang iyan, ganyan naman ang kalakaran, ganiyan naman diyan sa PDEA, magkano ba natin maaayos yan? Tatlong milyon? Tatlong manok lang, OK na iyan. Tatlong milyon lang puwede na ba iyan para huwag ninyo na lang isampa ang kaso?’ narrated Marcelino.
He said he got angry and shouted at the caller during their phone conversation.
Pressured by 'mistah'
Marcelino also revealed to congressmen that a "mistah" or classmate in the military academy, also called him up and told him that he was being offered P3 million in exchange of the dropping of drug charges against the Alabang Boys.
“In-approach po ako ng classmate ko sir, sinabihan po niya ko sir na: ‘Bok may lumapit sa akin nag-oofer ng tatlong milyon para ilaglag na lang ninyo ang kaso sa Alabang Boys. And then sumunod po noon sir, tapos may feelers na they are offering… Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Bok, kilala mo naman ako,’
Marcelino initially refused to name his classmate's name to congressmen during the televised hearing. He said he eventually revealed his classmate's identity to congressmen during the executive session.
The Marines officer told Umagang Kay Ganda that his classmate was, somehow, pressuring him to drop the charges against the rich drug suspects.
"Somehow po kasi alam naman ninyo ang Pilipino 'pag may pinagsamahan," he said when asked if he felt pressured by his classmate's bribe call.
