‘Alabang Boys’ beaten up, village guards say

MANILA, Philippines - Security officers of the Ayala Alabang village on Monday corroborated the claim of drug suspect Richard Brodett that he and fellow suspect Jorge Jordana Joseph were manhandled during their arrest last September. During the hearing of the House committee on dangerous drugs, Arvin Ballares of Right Eight security agency said he saw Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) personnel, particularly intelligence officer Jigger Juniller, beat up Joseph and hold him at gunpoint. "Nagmamakaawa po si Joseph...kasi po tinututukan siya at sinasaktan ni Jigger [Joseph was pleading...because he was being held at gunpoint and being beaten up by Jigger]," Ballares said. Ballares' companion on duty last September 19, Jose Eric Bautista, likewise said Joseph was being manhandled. Bautista said when he approached Juniller to intervene, the PDEA officer pointed the gun at him. "Nung paglapit ko tinutukan na ko ng PDEA agent ng baril niya [When I approached he pointed his gun at me]," Bautista said. Bautista conceded, however, that he encountered no more problems with the PDEA when he removed his jacket which covered his security uniform. When asked by Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez whether he was indeed beaten up by PDEA agents during his arrest, Joseph once again invoked his right to remain silent like in previous hearings. Ballares also said he saw Brodett's bloodied face, but said he did not know who was responsible for hurting Brodett. Despite this, Ballares said the PDEA buy-bust operation was "legitimate" because PDEA officers showed the necessary documents needed for conducting the operations inside the village. "Legitimate sir kasi may pinakita po silang dokumento sa amin [It was legitimate sir because they showed us documents]," said Ballares. The village's head security coordinator Romeo Javier confirmed that the PDEA coordinated with them before conducting the operation. Joseph and Brodett, two of the so-called Alabang Boys, were arrested inside the village shortly after the midnight of September 19. The third of the trio - whose affluent families were alleged to have bribed Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors to ensure their release - was Joseph Tecson, who was arrested in a follow-up operation in Cubao, Quezon City. - GMANews.TV