Palace to review dismissal of case vs shabu lab financier

MANILA, Philippines - The dismissed drug case against a suspected shabu laboratory financier in La Union has already been elevated to Malacañang for review, chief presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez said Wednesday. Gonzalez made this assurance after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) decried the former Justice secretary’s supposed “midnight order" to withdraw the criminal complaint against Joselito Artuz. “The Palace will conduct a final review on the case but it can still go to court. If the decision [of Malacañang] is upheld by the Court of Appeals, only then can it be final," Gonzalez told GMANews.TV. “The case is still pending…," said Gonzalez, who signed the resolution days before he vacated his seat at the DOJ. The post has since been occupied by concurrent Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera, who said that she would await the results of the review of the Office of the President on the La Union drug case before taking a second look at it. 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. Arroyo took up the role 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. The Palace reviewed the case of the now infamous “Alabang Boys" and ultimately ordered the filing of charges against the drug suspects, overturning the DOJ resolution dismissing the case. If as chief presidential legal adviser he gets tapped to take part in the review of the drug case, Gonzalez assured, "I will inhibit if it goes to me." La Union case Artuz, also known as George Cordero, was arrested along with several Chinese nationals in a raid on an illegal drug laboratory in Barangay Bimmotbot in Naguilian, La Union on July 9, 2008. Artuz was charged with conspiring in the manufacture of dangerous drugs as defined under Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002. According to Gonzalez, the case had previously been dismissed. But Bishop Artemio Rillera led a campaign for a reinvestigation of the case. The reinvestigation led to the implication of 44 policemen. The Office of the La Union Provincial Prosecutor later recommended the filing of charges against Artuz, alleged drug protector Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo and a Chinese national. Also, the provincial prosecutor ordered the dismissal of cases against other suspects, namely PO3 Joey Abang, PO1 Rodolfo Damian, PO2 Walter Banan, and caretaker Eusebio Tangalin. Last June 2, Artuz filed a petition for review after a witness recanted his statement. On the same day, Gonzalez issued a resolution no. IS 06-615-LU-BG directing the provincial prosecutor to withdraw the information filed against Artuz. The next day, Gonzalez sent the case to Malacañang. “The witness recanted his [statements]. Because of the recantation I allowed the dropping of the case against Cordero [Artuz]," Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said he found nothing wrong with PDEA’s plan to file a motion for reconsideration against the dismissal of Artuz’s case. “The motion might be filed before the DOJ, which in turn can just forward it to the Palace too." - GMANews.TV