Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday challenged lawyer Alvaro Lazaro of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and State Prosecutor John Resado to submit to a polygraph test to show who?s telling the truth and who?s not about the ?Alabang Boys? drug case.

?Maybe the best thing to do is for both of them to submit to polygraph test. It can help find out whose telling the truth already,? Gonzalez said in an interview.

?Polygraph results are not really admissible as evidence, but credibility is an issue here,? Gonzalez said. ?But I think that should be voluntary,? he said, adding that his department has no jurisdiction over the PDEA lawyer.

At the House of Representatives Friday, Resado claimed that Lazaro attempted to bribe him in exchange for the dismissal of the drug case against the ?Alabang Boys? ? Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson, scions of wealthy families who were charged with drug trafficking.

Lazaro vehemently denied Resado?s allegation.

Nonetheless, Gonzalez said Resado?s late admission of alleged bribe offer from Lazaro is something that the prosecutor has to explain, in the same plane with Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino of PDEA.

?That is something that can again raise questions, but it was the first time he was asked. That?s why he has to explain,? the Justice chief observed.

Gonzalez said that he could not order Resado?s charges against Lazaro investigated since he does not have jurisdiction over the PDEA lawyer.

Gonzalez also expressed disappointment over the way the investigation in the House of Representatives is being conducted. He proposed the creation of an independent panel that will look into the bribery case over the Alabang Boys.

?I believe there is no more point for Congress to continue with its [legislative] inquiry once the independent panel begins its investigation,? he said.

According to him, the panel would be more credible as ?it can offer something that would satisfy the skeptical public and that will make us lay to rest our decision.? Rey E. Requejo