By Rey E. Requejo

THE lawyer for the ?Alabang Boys? faces disbarment for drafting an order for their release on Justice Department letterhead, the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines said yesterday.

Commenting on the case, Feliciano Bautista said Felisberto Verano, the lawyer of Richard Brodett and Joseph Tecson, could be held liable for violating the lawyer?s code of ethics.

?If any complaint is filed against Attorney Verano, we promise to immediately act on it,? Bautista said.

But he said the group could not initiate the filing of a verified complaint against Verano as the IBP, through the Commission on Bar Discipline, would act as the investigating panel.

The board of governors may file a complaint against erring lawyers, but it had opted ?to exercise self-restraint in this case,? Bautista said.

Jose Midas Marquez, Supreme Court spokesman, said the high court?s justices would await the outcome of a National Bureau of Investigation probe before taking any action against Verano.

Some sectors have called for Verano??s disbarment after he admitted preparing the controversial ?draft order? for the release of his clients before Christmas last year using the Justice Dep-artment?s letterhead.

Brodett and Tecson and another suspect, Jorge Joseph, were arrested by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents on Sept. 20 during sting operations in Ayala Alabang and Quezon City.

Brodett and Tecson have filed a petition for habeas corpus before the Court of Appeals, but the case will be raffled again today after Associate Justice Juan Enriquez of the 11th Division inhibited himself because the counsel of one of the parties had consulted him on the case.

Earlier, Verano admitted he did prepare the draft order that was sent to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for signature on Dec. 23.

He made the admission following the testimony of Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor before a House committee hearing identifying him.

At the House hearings yesterday, Verano insisted there was nothing wrong in his drafting the release order, noting that in the United States, both prosecutors and defense lawyers prepared such drafts from which the judge could take parts for the decision.

?I just provided the convenience of having it ready,? he said of the draft release order.

But Para?aque Rep. Roilo Golez said Verano could be charged on ethical grounds for his action.

As the drugs-and-bribery case dragged on, President Arroyo ordered Gonzalez to get to the bottom of attempts to secure the release of the three suspects, who were caught possessing marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy and shabu.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said admissions by Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino that he was offered bribes twice should be part of the Justice Department review.

?The instruction of the President is for Secretary Gonzalez to finish the investigation soon. The President is very much concerned,? Ermita said.

The Office of the Ombudsman has also started looking into the allegations of bribery.

Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni said the anti-graft agency had already created a team to monitor developments in the ongoing probes in the House of Representatives and the National Bureau of Investigation.

?We have started looking into these bribery charges as part of our regular function to prosecute government officials who may have violated the anti-graft law,? Jalandoni said. With Joyce Pangco Pa?ares, Roy Pelovello, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Florante Solmerin