Inventory of seized drugs from 'Alabang Boys' done 9 hours later - agent

MANILA, Philippines - Anti-drugs agents did not start with the inventory of the illegal drugs seized from the so-called Alabang Boys until nine hours later. This was according to the testimony of Investigating Officer 1 Jacqueline Sogoc during Monday's continuation of the hearing by the fact-finding panel tasked to probe the alleged bribery of Justice prosecutors handling the drug case of the “Alabang Boys.” Sogoc was the evidence custodian for the buy-bust operations conducted by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) last September 20 in Muntinlupa City. “Alabang Boys” refers to Richard Brodett, Joseph Tecson and Jorge Joseph, the scions of wealthy families arrested by the PDEA. Felisberto Verano, counsel for Brodett and Tecson, said the fact that no inventory was immediately conducted made the PDEA operations illegal. “Their arrests are the fruit of a poisonous tree. If the arrest is illegal, you can’t use that evidence. That can’t be brushed lightly; this is relevant to the bribery case. If the arrest is illegal, then there is no need for bribery,” he said. He also said that the agents did not coordinate with the local police, which he said is another violation of operation rules. In her testimony, Sogoc said the inventory was not conducted immediately after the arrest of the suspects, or even after the seized items were brought to the PDEA headquarters in Quezon City, as their team still had to conduct a follow-up operation on the same night. She said the seized illegal substances were brought to the PDEA office since it was too dark in Madrigal Avenue in Ayala, Alabang to conduct the inventory. “How can we conduct a proper inventory in the area if it’s dark? Under PDEA rules, we have an option where we could do it as long as it is practicable,” Sogoc said. From the time the items were brought to PDEA, Sogoc said nine hours had actually passed before the inventory was conducted. She said this was because they had to wait for two barangay (village) officials in Ayala, Alabang, who served as neutral witnesses for the inventory. She said they also waited for the parents of the suspects to arrive to witness the inventory. Narrating before the panel, Sogoc said Brodett and Joseph were arrested in Ayala, Alabang in Muntinlupa. She said Joseph was immediately apprehended by the agents, but Brodett, who was driving a black Sedan, led them to a high-speed car chase. She said they captured Brodett only after his car hit a sidewalk. - GMANews.TV