CV fiscals want PDEA execs to also go on leave
By CARINE M. ASUTILLA, ABS-CBN News Central Visayas | 01/12/2009 10:52 PM
State prosecutors of Central Visayas on Monday asked President Arroyo to also order some members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to take a leave of absence.
Central Visayas Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane was in Manila on Monday to attend the gathering of all regional state prosecutors following an order of the president to all the officials and fiscals of the Department of Justice (DOJ) involved in the ongoing probe into the bribery allegations on the “Alabang Boys” drug case to take a leave of absence.
Gubalane said that the DOJ personnel honored the order of the president but said that they are asking her to let other members of PDEA allegedly involved in the same scandal to also take a leave of absence
.
In a phone interview, Gubalane said that it is unfair on the part of the fiscals to be the only ones to go on leave. He said that there are members of PDEA who are involved in the scandal and should also be temporarily relieved from duty as the investigation continues.
Gubalane also said that the Ombudsman will conduct an investigation on the alleged bribery and said the fiscals welcome it.
State Prosecutor Llena Ipong meanwhile said that some of the prosecutors in Central Visayas received a text message coming from their fellow fiscals in Manila asking for support. She said that they are urging them to wear red armband as a symbol of protest to the latest order of Arroyo for fiscals to take a leave of absence.
Ipong said however that none of them will wear an armband since their office in the region has not yet come up with a stand whether or not they should support the protest. She said that they need Gubalane to return first to Cebu and organize a meeting.
Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba for her part also said that their office has not yet come up with a stand either. She said that if it is regarding the president’s order, she said it would be hard for them to choose on who they should side.
She said that even if they should convene, it will not guarantee that they will have a stand for the matter. She said that they did not receive any communication from DOJ Manila that is asking them to join in the protest against the president’s order similar to what the regional office received.
as of 01/12/2009 10:52 PM
No comments:
Post a Comment