By Roy Pelovello

STATE prosecutor John Resado, who is facing congressional investigation for his alleged role in the ?Alabang Boys? bribery case, yesterday informed the House oversight committee on dangerous drugs that he is not waiving his right to the secrecy of his bank deposits.

In a letter to oversight committee chairman Roque Ablan Jr., Resado wrote: ?The undersigned expressly manifests to this Honorable Committee that he is not waiving his rights under the Law on Secrecy of Bank Deposits [RA 1405], and other related laws over his bank account with Banco de Oro, SM Bacoor Branch.?

Last week, the House oversight committee on dangerous drugs requested Resado to open up his bank accounts and disprove charges he accepted bribe in exchange for the dismissal of the drug trafficking case of the three Alabang Boys, so-called because they are all residents of Alabang in Muntinlupa City.

Resado had admitted that he deposited P800,000 to his bank account on Dec. 2, 2008, a few days before he and other state prosecutors signed a resolution dismissing the charges against the Alabang Boys. But Resado said the money consisted of principal and interests of his investment in a money-lending operation run by his relatives.

The prosecutor presented to the committee five original bank books in a bid to support his claim but the lawmakers said they wanted to look into his bank accounts to find out if he was telling the truth or not.

With Resado?s refusal to waive the secrecy of his bank account, the House committee will have to ?go after? Resado in other ways, said Rep. Antonio Cuenco, committee vice chairman.

?We could recommend that he should be charged for failing to secure a license and register with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas his lending operation, and for failing to declare his income [from this business] in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and in his Income Tax Return,? Cuenco said.