La Union prosecutor gets gag order on shabu lab case

SAN FERNANDO, La Union, Philippines  – The results of the reinvestigation into the dismissed case on the shabu laboratory busted in Naguilian town last year is now in the hands of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

However, La Union prosecutor Danilo Bumacod told The STAR that he could not reveal the results of his reinvestigation and recommendations because of a gag order from Gonzalez.

“I personally brought to the Secretary the records of the case as well as the resolution (last Feb. 5). No party was furnished a copy in view of the prohibition to release (to anyone) the resolution until the approval of the Secretary,” he said.

Bumacod clarified that his refusal to reveal his findings on the case is in compliance with Gonzalez’s memorandum last Jan. 5 that the results of the reinvestigation could not be released to the public without the latter’s approval.

Chief Superintendent Ramon Gatan, head of Task Force Bimmotobot, and Chief Inspector Erwin Dayag, one of the complainants, said they have not received any copy of Bumacod’s resolution and were unaware of his findings.

President Arroyo, acting on the request of the Church led by La Union Bishop Artemio Rillera, ordered Gonzalez last Dec. 30 to reinvestigate the case after a three-man prosecution panel dismissed it on Nov. 12 for alleged insufficient evidence.

Subsequently, Gonzalez ordered Bumacod to conduct the reinvestigation into the dismissed complaint against Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, former Dagupan City police chief, PO3 Joey Abang, PO1 Rodolfo Damian Jr., PO2 Walter Banan, and Eusebio Tangalin, owner of the lot where the shabu lab was built in May 2007.

Only Joselito Artuz, alias George Cordero, the alleged shabu lab financier, was indicted. No decision was handed down on the six supposed Chinese chemists who operated the illegal facility.

Borromeo, together with the three other policemen, were tagged by Dante Palaganas, the shabu lab’s caretaker, as protectors.

The shabu lab was raided on July 9 last year, yielding six truckloads of chemicals that could make at least P27 million worth of shabu.