Topic: Muntinlupa court acquits 'Alabang Boys'

[Rockford]

Muntinlupa court acquits 'Alabang Boys'

MANILA, Philippines - A Muntinlupa court today ordered the release of two members of the so-called "Alabang Boys" after clearing them from drug trafficking charges.

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 acquitted Richard Brodett and Jorge Joseph due to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) supposed improper gathering of evidence.

The court also said that the buy-bust operation of the PDEA did not follow the chain of custody of the evidence.

The not guilty verdict was a big upset as the PDEA announced two days before the promulgation that it was expecting a guilty verdict against the two suspects from the court.

The PDEA had recently insisted that the three suspects are among the "top level" drug traffickers in the country and has links with an international drug ring.

Brodett and Joseph were arrested by PDEA agents in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa on Sept. 20, 2008.

On the same night, the third member of the so-called "Alabang Boys," Joseph Tecson was arrested in a follow-up operation conducted in Quezon City. The suspects collectively yielded 60 tablets of ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana.

Tecson's case is separately being heard by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 227.

The drug suspects are from moneyed families and the case hogged the headlines after their families allegedly used influence and money to have the suspects released before Christmas in 2008. There were also reports of attempts to bribe PDEA operatives.

The Department of Justice, from state prosecutors to the top officials, were questioned for lapses and improprieties in handling the case. The controversy led to the issuance of Administrative Order 253 in January 2009, directing the automatic review by the Office of the President on all decisions and resolutions involving the dismissal of drug cases.

Former PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago said in an interview by ABS-CBN News Channel that he was not saddened by the court's decision.

"Still we are not saddened by that. Hindi kami nalulungkot, at least nakulong (We are not sad, at least they were jailed)," Santiago said.

He added that the two suspects "know very well what they did" and he is hoping that they have been rehabilitated after being jailed for almost three years.

"If they decide to [return to their old ways], the law enforcement people will be there to puonce on them. If they have been changed because of their experience in jail, well and good," Santiago said.

Santiago, meanwhile, insisted that the PDEA, through its lawyers and the prosecutors assigned to the case, have thoroughly explained the details of the buy-bust operations and they believe that they were able to follow the chain of custody of the evidence.

"We feel we have done our best... We consulted legal luminaries and we were assured by the prosecutor that the case was very strong. What can we do?," he said when asked to comment on the court's verdict.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=720741&publicationSubCategoryId=63

[Ilonggo-by-blood]

Magaling na lawyers and ma impluwensiyang pamilya a recipe for acquittal.

 "If they decide to [return to their old ways], the law enforcement people will be there to puonce on them. If they have been changed because of their experience in jail, well and good," Santiago said.

H

wrong spelling yung Phil Star. dapat "pounce" 

[arsonista24]

sikat na sikat yang ALABANG BOYS na mga yan.. di ba may kanta pa nga si Andrew E. nyan... at naging movie pa.       

[dragonking57]

Sablay mga pulis dito...Daming lapses sa pag aresto at ebidensya.

[praeto_RYAN]

sikat na sikat yang ALABANG BOYS na mga yan.. di ba may kanta pa nga si Andrew E. nyan... at naging movie pa.       

the song and movie came prior to the incident.  the arrest, according to the article, happened 2008.  the movie and song is actually titled "Alabang Girls".

[praeto_RYAN]

Sablay mga pulis dito...Daming lapses sa pag aresto at ebidensya.

the lapses, i believe, is intentional.  i believe, lapses are put in place so that the "accused" will have some "wiggling room" when bargaining happens.  actually that is what some "lawmen" call such practice, "wiggling room".  dami mga ganyang nangyayari.  just think of an incident wherein a suspect was able to elude arrest by lawmen, who if you would believe the story, actually met the suspect on the way to the suspect's house.  papaano kaya yun eh walang isang metro yung eskenita na dadaanan tapos mahabang pader yung dadaanan.  oh well. 

either that or the enforcing agents are ROOKIES. 

[bakekong12345678]

tsk tsk tsk... sino na daw yung judge? ipapa-abu sayyaf ko yun

[praeto_RYAN]

tsk tsk tsk... sino na daw yung judge? ipapa-abu sayyaf ko yun

we can't really conclude that the judge is at fault here.  maybe the arrest is so flawed, the judge is worried if he/she would give a guilty verdice.  it also depends on the judge's "guts".  know of an incident wherein the arrest is shrouded by controversies, however, because there are numerous (around 20) other similar pending cases (murder, carnapping, holdup, rape) involving the person (as well as other dismissed cases), the judge issued a guilty verdict.  off the record, the judge said outside of court, "eh halata namang hardened criminal na yan.  marami pang papatayin yan pag pakakawalan mo.  yung mga dismissed cases niya, karamihan nadismiss dahil sa tinakot or pinatay yung mga witness.  may mali sa pagkakahuli, pero mas mali pag pakakawalan ko pa yan." (the judge went on stating the "usefulness of summary execution.  nakakapagod din daw kasi pag paulit-ulit na.  )

hindi lng justice system ang flawed.  mismong PDEA, bulok.  i am sure marami ang nakarinig na ng word na "recycled" when it comes to confiscated drugs.  yan mismo ang nangyayari dito sa pangasinan.  portion of confiscated drugs end up being "turned-over" by PDEA to a brgy captain for resale.  what is funny is that the same brgy captain "patrols" the street with a 45 in his waist and a tanod in tow, slinging the shotgun issued by the provincial government.  brgy captain sells the "recycled drugs" during such "patrol".  i have also analyzed the strategy and it is such an effective one since if brgy captain gets busted with the drugs, he can say na they confiscated it during patrol, and somehow the "addicts" managed to ran away, leaving the drugs.  hirap din namang isetup si kapitan sa buy bust dahil kilala nga niya mga constituents niya, and kilala niya mga tunay na adik.  add the fact na kilala niya at may kapit sa local PDEA.

how about they change the law when it comes to drug cases?  pag drug cases, for personal use, they give the person a 3 year "holding period" prior to actual hearing of the case.  pag for sale, make the holding period 6 years.  pag yung involved ay in govt. service, make the holding period 10 years.  tapos ang verdict, dapat x 2 pag in government service lalo na pulis, militar, nbi, pdea, cidg, as well as elected and appointed officials and employees.  that will make them think twice.  i hope.