The National Bureau of Investigation has cleared government prosecutors of the alleged P50-million bribery over the case of three wealthy suspects held by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency which stood pat on the findings.

Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zu?o expressed satisfaction over the report submitted on Friday night to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

?This is a vindication,? he said even as Pdea Chief Dionisio Santiago described the findings as unsurprising.

?The NBI is an agency under the DoJ. The NBI cannot compel Pdea to participate because of bias,? he fumed. ?It has no final say on the issue.?

Bureau Special Task Force chief Arnel Dalumpines said the 33-page report was based on interviews and documents submitted by the prosecutors implicated in the scandal, and on the actual investigation.

?No one is saying or had said who gave the bribe and who took it,? he said.

Dalumpines noted that the clearance was given amid the non-cooperation of Pdea, refusing to submit any evidence during the probe, and ?making it (alleged bribe) look like a hearsay and a psy-war? between agencies.

Santiago insisted on a separate look-see on neutral grounds.

?Their findings, which cannot be relied upon, can be tackled by independent investigators,? he said.

Zu?o said the tarnished image of the National Prosecution Service would take time before it can be repaired.

?You cannot undo the damage. But this is a vindication of truth over lies,? he said, indicating talks that money changed hands in handling the case against drug suspects Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson.

Zu?o, along with Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor, Senior State Prosecutor Phillip Kimpo, State Prosecutors John Resado and Misael Ladaga, went on leave on President Arroyo?s order after Pdea accused them of having fixed the dismissal of the charges.

But Pdea?s Marine Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino, who ratted on an unnamed colleague, dodged requests for him to substantiate his claims of bribery.

Gonzalez said the report would be presented to Malaca?ang, before allowing Blancaflor and the rest to return to work.

?The President has to act. She knows the situation,? he said, discounting the need for prosecutors in acting capacity.

In Batasan, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casi?o cited the need for ?an independent commission, perhaps composed of retired justices of the Supreme Court.?

Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros aired the appeal to Marcelino ?to bare everything he knows.? Rey E. Requejo, Joel M. Sy Egco, Jing Villamente, Roy Pelovello and Maria Veronica Jane Sanchez