Gonzalez to inhibit from shabu case
MANILA, Philippines - New chief presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez will inhibit himself from an automatic Palace review of a controversial drug-related case that he handled while he was still secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Gonzalez said in a radio interview that he does not need to personally handle the review of his order to withdraw a criminal complaint against an alleged drug lab financier.
“E di i-inhibit ako [I’ll just inhibit from the case]. I do not have to handle that case," he said in an interview on dzXL radio when asked about the prospect of reviewing his own decision.
As prescribed by Presidential Executive Order 253, all drug cases dismissed in court since January 29 should be forwarded to the Office of the President for further review.
EO 253 was issued after President Arroyo declared herself as the country’s anti-drug czar - a role she took up after learning that a number of Justice prosecutors had recommended the dismissal of the drug case against three scions of wealthy families in Alabang and Quezon City.
Before he was replaced as Justice secretary, Gonzalez ordered the withdrawal of a criminal complaint against alleged drug laboratory financier Joselito Artuz. But the move drew flak from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Ilocos, which vowed to question the order in a motion for reconsideration.
PDEA noted that Artuz, also known as George Cordero, was nabbed along with several Chinese on July 9, 2008 in a raid in Barangay Bimmotobot, Naguilian, La Union.
As an alleged financier, Artuz faced charges of conspiracy in the manufacture of dangerous drugs as defined under Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002. The same charges were filed against his co-accused.
Gonzalez however defended his move, saying the complainant whom he did not identify had withdrawn from the case. He also said there were violations of Artuz’s rights, but did not elaborate.
“Ang nag-complain diyan nag-withdraw. At ang daming violations ng karapatan ng taong yan ang nalabag [The complainant withdrew from the case, and there were violations of Artuz’s rights]," he said. - GMANews.TV
Gonzalez said in a radio interview that he does not need to personally handle the review of his order to withdraw a criminal complaint against an alleged drug lab financier.
“E di i-inhibit ako [I’ll just inhibit from the case]. I do not have to handle that case," he said in an interview on dzXL radio when asked about the prospect of reviewing his own decision.
As prescribed by Presidential Executive Order 253, all drug cases dismissed in court since January 29 should be forwarded to the Office of the President for further review.
EO 253 was issued after President Arroyo declared herself as the country’s anti-drug czar - a role she took up after learning that a number of Justice prosecutors had recommended the dismissal of the drug case against three scions of wealthy families in Alabang and Quezon City.
Before he was replaced as Justice secretary, Gonzalez ordered the withdrawal of a criminal complaint against alleged drug laboratory financier Joselito Artuz. But the move drew flak from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Ilocos, which vowed to question the order in a motion for reconsideration.
PDEA noted that Artuz, also known as George Cordero, was nabbed along with several Chinese on July 9, 2008 in a raid in Barangay Bimmotobot, Naguilian, La Union.
As an alleged financier, Artuz faced charges of conspiracy in the manufacture of dangerous drugs as defined under Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002. The same charges were filed against his co-accused.
Gonzalez however defended his move, saying the complainant whom he did not identify had withdrawn from the case. He also said there were violations of Artuz’s rights, but did not elaborate.
“Ang nag-complain diyan nag-withdraw. At ang daming violations ng karapatan ng taong yan ang nalabag [The complainant withdrew from the case, and there were violations of Artuz’s rights]," he said. - GMANews.TV
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