By Rey E. Requejo

State Prosecutor John Resado has been asked to explain why he should not be disbarred for allegedly receiving bribe in exchange for dismissing the drug peddling case filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency against the ?Alabang Boys.?

In a resolution, the Supreme Court gave Resado 10 days to submit his comment and debunk the disbarment case filed against him by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

The court order came after the VACC sought to disbar Resado for allegedly accepting bribe to drop the case against the Alabang Boys, namely Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson.

When asked for comment on the order, Resado replied: ?If ever I receive that order, I am ready to answer that and I?m confident the Supreme Court will find me innocent because I did nothing wrong; I merely did my job in accordance with the law and the rules.?

The anti-crime watchdog said that there is sufficient basis to hold Resado administratively liable after he admitted that P800,000 was deposited into his bank account last Dec. 2, the same day he signed the joint resolution recommending the dismissal of charges against the Alabang Boys.

The group said Resado committed ?unethical conduct or conduct unbecoming of a member of the Bar.?

?We believe that a strong case of probable cause of questionable transactions in the bank account of prosecutor Resado exists,? said the VACC complaint signed by the founding chairman Dante Jimenez and current chairman Lauro Vizconde.

The high court also approved the request of the independent panel tasked to investigate allegation of bribery involving prosecutors handling the Alabang drug case.

Lawyer Jose Midas Marquez, spokesman of the SC, said the request of the panel headed by Associate Justice Carolina Grino-Aquino, as chairman, is to hold its hearing on the bribery scandal within the SC premises, particularly at the SC?s Training Center.

Members of the three-man panel are San Beda dean Fr. Ranhillio Aquino and retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raoul Victorino. Its first hearing will be held on Thursday.