Arroyo's 'consuelo de bobo' to Gonzalez

When Marine Major Ferdinand Marcelino saw his mother last Saturday upon his arrival from Vienna where he attended an international conference on combating illegal drugs, she expressed concern over reports that Gloria Arroyo has ordered that he be investigated. In Mrs. Marcelino’s pure understanding of the way things should be in this world, her son did his job despite odds and pressure, but why should he be the one to be investigated? The order for the investigation of Marcelino, who is detailed with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, was one among the several orders issued by Arroyo based on the recommendation of the three-man fact-finding commission head by former Supreme Court Justice Carolina Griño-Aquino. Arroyo said Marcelino, who exposed the alleged bribery to dismiss the complaint against the “Alabang Boys”, should be investigated, for “taking into himself the job of prosecutor” by releasing Patrick El Khoury, the driver of the vehicle where the buy-bust operation drug deal was consummated. Marcelino said their investigation showed that El Khoury has nothing to do with the Alabang Boys’ illegal drug operation. Jorge Joseph, one of the three “Alabang Boys” – the two others are Richard Brodett and Joseph Tecson - hitched a ride with Khoury to Ayala Alabang, where the buy bust operation happened in September 2008. Marcelino said, “I cannot in conscience detain and charge someone whom I know to be innocent.” But Marcelino welcomed the investigation to be conducted by PDEA’s Internal Affairs Service. “I appreciate the commitment of the agency for truth and the assurance that I will be given due process and a chance to answer the charges.” In order that the investigation would not be tainted with suspicions of manipulation, Marcelino took a leave of absence as he also challenged other government officials who are under investigation to go on leave. He said, “I believe that this is the right immediate action that any public servant whether civilian or military should conduct himself or herself is such a given situation.” That would involve many officials. Aside from the Department of Justice prosecutors involved in the Alabang case who are now confused about their status because they have been on forced leave since the report of bribery came out, there are those officials involved in other anomalies like Fe Barin of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Rep. Parañaque Representative Eduardo Zialcita in the Legacy mess. And of course, there’s Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who is now a subject of an impeachment complaint. Actually, the order to investigate Marcelino is a slap on the wrist compared to the order to charge Prosecutor John Resado with bribery. Arroyo likewise ordered the filing of administrative charges against Senior State Prosecutors Philip Quimpo and Jovencito Zuño for their cursory review of Resado’s resolution and the investigation of Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor for possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. But those officials were found to have committed something wrong and betrayed the public trust. And Marcelino merely did his job. Although PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago welcomed Arroyo’s orders as “partial victory”, Marcelino said Gonzalez should resign “to bring back the prestige of the Department of Justice.” Arroyo’s order reversed the resolution penned by Resado dismissing the complaint against the Alabang Boys, which was affirmed by Gonzalez. It was a slap on their faces. And what about the National Bureau of Investigation that cleared the DOJ prosecutors from allegations of being recipients of bribe? All these things could not have happened without the imprimatur of Gonzalez. Since Arroyo considered them wrong, thus the reversal, why is Gonzalez untouched? I see the order to investigate Marcelino as a peace offering to Gonzalez after the “slap.” In a meeting in Malacañang at the height of the Alabang Boys controversy, a source said Gonzalez demanded from Arroyo that the Marine officer be recalled to the military. “Arogante yan,” complained Gonzalez, who cannot forgive Marcelino for standing up to him in a House hearing. Arroyo, the source said, appealed to Gonzalez, “Pabayaan mo na ang mga bata.” Arroyo, of course, has to appease Gonzalez who helped install her in the presidency without being elected by the people. Gonzalez will not make her forget that he and Sen. Francis Pangilinan railroaded the 2004 congressional canvassing with their “Noted. Noted.”