By Rey E. Requejo

JUSTICE Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday said he would create an independent panel to investigate allegations of bribery against members of his own department?s task force on illegal drugs.

The panel would be composed of two retired Supreme Court justices and Dean Virgilio Jara of the San Beda College of Law.

Gonzalez said the panel had to be independent to remove doubts about the investigation and its results.

The National Bureau of Investigation is already doing its own investigation of the alleged bribery, as well as of the leak of a Justice Department resolution dismissing the case against drug suspects Richard Brodett, Joseph Tecson and Jorge Joseph, who come from affluent families.

On Sunday, President Arroyo overruled Gonzalez and ordered the temporary relief of Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor, Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zu?o, and three state prosecutors who were implicated in the bribery controversy involving the so-called Alabang Boys.

Senior Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Severino Ga?a has been named to replace Zu?o, who went on indefinite leave.

Gonzalez yesterday urged the President to order Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officials involved in the case to go on leave as well, saying they were ?worse than the Justice officials.?

Gonzalez singled out Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino, head of the agency?s special enforcement group, who admitted in a congressional hearing that he had experienced two bribery attempts.

?He?s actually worse than the Justice officials that the PDEA claimed to be involved in bribery attempts. He had his chance to arrest someone who made an actual offer, and not just allegations of an offer, but he did not,? Gonzalez said.

?Now he?s the hero. He?s the St. Joseph. Maybe people should start talking about the fact that Marcelino himself admitted this person tried to bribe him, that he met with this person, yet he allowed this person to get away scot-free.?

Zu?o echoed Gonzalez?s call.

?The PDEA people who were also involved should also go on leave,? he said, calling the President?s order ?unfair.?

Assistant State Prosecutor Manny Velasco challenged Marcelino to name his classmate who allegedly offered him a bribe.

?We are not covering up for our colleagues. If there is irregularity committed by one of us, then he or she must be sacked from the service. But the same goes for police officers who commit the same offenses,? he said.

The State Prosecutors Association supported the beleaguered Justice officials.

Administration ally Senator Richard Gordon also criticized the President?s order, saying the forced leaves would solve nothing and leave the case hanging indefinitely.

Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon committee, said the investigation should be completed and properly closed regardless of the conclusion.

?A leave of absence does not help in solving the case. What they should do is to close the case by complying with the procedures under the law,? Gordon said.

But Senator Panfilo Lacson, an administration critic, praised the President for her action.

?Even if you fall from your seat now, I wish to commend the President on her order for the Justice officials implicated in the case of the Alabang Boys to go on vacation,? Lacson said in a text message.

?For the sake of justice and fair play, there must be a speedy probe so that those who are innocent will be able to reassume their posts.?

Para?aque Rep. Roilo Golez urged Gonzalez to resign over the bribery scandal, and particularly after the President overruled him.

?He should make the ultimate sacrifice usually done in civilized society?fall on his sword and spare the President the pain and anguish,? Golez said.

Golez yesterday filed a bill proposing the creation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor on Dangerous Drugs, similar to that in Colombia.

Anti-corruption party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva dismissed the President?s order as insufficient.

Ordering the officials to go on leave ?just to be able to say something was done about the issue of bribery and in-your-face corruption is pathetic and lame,? he said.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said she would file charges against any prosecutors found to have violated the law.

She said her office had begun its own investigation into the case.

At a congressional hearing last week, the lawyer of the three drug suspects admitted he had drafted an order for their release on Justice Department letterhead, and then had it sent to Gonzalez for his signature. With Fel V. Maragay, Roy Pelovello, Joyce Pangco Pa?ares, Macon Ramos Araneta