By Rey E. Requejo

JUSTICE Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday said he found it irregular that Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor prepared a document for his signature ordering the release of three scions of rich families who were arrested on drug charges.

?While it is not illegal per se, I think it?s irregular unless I ordered the drafting of the order,? Gonzalez said when asked about the propriety of Blancaflor?s action to facilitate the release of drug suspects Richard Brodett, Jorge Jordana Joseph, and Joseph Tecson, the so-called Alabang Boys.

Gonzalez said Blancaflor showed ?unusual? interest in the controversial drug case involving three young people from rich families in Alabang.

He said it was beyond Blancaflor?s job description to draft release orders for drug suspects.

Earlier, Gonzalez said that before the Christmas break a secretary of Blancaflor?s, identified as Janet Payoyo, put the draft release order on his desk for his signature.

?This was beyond the ambit of his work. It?s not his job to make the order and have it signed by me,? Gonzalez told reporters.

In a press conference, Blancaflor admitted that he ordered one of his staff to send the draft order for signing.

Gonzalez said he did not want to preempt the outcome of the investigation being conducted on the case by the National Bureau of Investigation, but Blancaflor may be held administratively liable for his action.

?Technically, there is no resolution yet dismissing the case because I have a standing memorandum circular enjoining prosecutors from releasing resolutions for dismissal of cases involving drugs and smuggling,? Gonzalez said.

?They should get my imprimatur first before releasing it.?

Gonzalez rejected a Dec. 2, 2008 resolution dismissing the case because it did not have his approval. He then ordered an investigation to find out who was responsible for leaking the document.

Blancaflor said he did not intercede on behalf of the drug suspects when he called up the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to ask why they had not been released despite the Dec. 2 resolution dismissing the case.

?In the same manner I also make calls to inquire on cases involving media killings, human trafficking, and terrorism,? he said.

?I am not a coddler of drug syndicates. I challenge anyone who is dragging me into the controversy or insinuating that I have anything to do with the drug case to undergo a polygraph test with me. I did not do anything wrong, and I willingly submit to any form of investigation.?

Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zu?o defended the resolution dismissing the drug case.

Among other glaring inconsistencies, Zu?o said, that the arrest made by anti-drug agents was illegal because it was not a valid warrant-less arrest as the suspects were taken indiscriminately.

Zu?o said money taken in the sting operation came to only P600, and was mixed with ?boodle money? to make it appear that the amount involved exceeded P100,000.

And the subsequent arrest and search of Brodett?s car without any warrants was illegal, he said.

?The car?s rear compartment was forcibly searched. Therefore, any object seized during the search is inadmissible for having been unlawfully obtained,? he said.

He also criticized the anti-drug agents for extracting a confession from Joseph who did not have a lawyer present, which was a clear violation of his rights. With Roy Pelovello and Joel M. Sy Egco