By Rey E. Requejo

Prosecutors yesterday called off plans to go on mass leave in protest of ?unfounded judgment? on their colleagues who figured in the Alabang drug deal scandal.

Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zu?o said he had convinced the prosecutors from Central Luzon not to proceed with their protest move. ? I don?t want them and their families to suffer just because they want to express their sympathy to me,? Zu?o said. Zu?o went on leave on Palace order after he and his team of prosecutors were accused by anti-narcotics officials of bungling a case against three affluent residents of Alabang.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday threatened to impose sanctions on prosecutors who will join the mass leave scheduled for next week, particularly if it will disrupt public services.

?It [mass leave] should not be allowed. It?s not the proper action,? Gonzalez said, even as he warned that such a move would constitute violation of the Civil Service rules and the violators could be held administratively liable.

Gonzalez explained that a mass leave of prosecutors could prejudice the administration of justice.

?I will initiate sanctions if they will persist on prejudicing the public service. They are professionals; they should not do something that will cripple the public service, especially the judicial system.?

State Prosecutor Edward Togonon, head of the National Prosecutors? League, confirmed the plan for a mass leave. He said the prosecutors are hurting from the Palace order requiring the Alabang prosecutors to go on a vacation pending the outcome of the probe of the bribery scandal.

?We are hurting really. If we talk about morale, it?s very low. This controversy has been affecting our work,? Togonon said. with Joel Zurbano