By Rey E. Requejo

State Prosecutor John Resado yesterday acceded to the request of a fact-finding committee to scrutinize his bank account following charges he accepted bribe in exchange for signing a resolution dropping the drug-peddling case against the Alabang Boys.

Resado was assured by the three-member committee that the findings will not be made public, but will be submitted directly to President Arroyo, who ordered the investigation into the alleged bribery.

Testifying before the fact-finding panel chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Carolina Grino-Aquino, Resado denied that the P800,000 that was deposited in his bank account on Dec. 2, 2008 was part of the bribe. It was on that day Resado and other prosecutors signed the resolution dismissing the Alabang Boys case, which was opposed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

PDEA agents conducted the sting operations against the Alabang Boys, namely Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson, who all said the PDEA claim of drug bust was actually a frame-up.

The panel recommended that a representative of Banco de Oro- Bacoor, Cavite branch be invited to testify on Resado?s bank records for official authentication.

?We wish to make it on record now that he has consented for the bank representative to appear before this committee to testify on the official bank record of your honor [Resado],? panel member San Beda Law Dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino said.

According to Resado, he refused to open his bank records and invoked his right against self-incrimination before the House committee investigating the Alabang Boys case because its members have expressed intention to file charges against him.

Resado?s lawyer Jose Isagani Gonzales clarified that his client agreed to allow the probe body to inquire into his bank account involving transactions covering the period September to December 2008.

The panel rejected Resado?s bid to have the bank accounts of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents scrutinized, too.

Aquino said the alleged bribe on PDEA personnel ?did not prosper.?

The panel also asked Chief Prosecutor Jovencito Zu?o for his consent to look into his bank account, but he said he has to seek permission from his wife since the Bank of the Philippines account in question is a joint account.

While the panel conceded, it ordered the appearance of Zu?o?s wife to present passbooks and records of the account on Friday, when the panel resumes its investigation.

Zu?o said that his wife is a doctor working at a hospital in Lipa, Batangas. ?I have to ask her permission since she made most of the deposits,? Zu?o said.