MANILA, Philippines—A suggestion for the “Alabang Boys” to treat their captors to “3M pizza” may have triggered allegations of a P50-million payoff for their liberty.

Hours before Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph, and Joseph Tecson were to face the inquest fiscal, one of the two narcotics agents guarding them allegedly said: “Paborito naming kainin 3M pizza,” lawyer Felisberto Verano Jr. said Monday at the National Bureau of Investigation.

“This was repeatedly told to (Brodett, Joseph, and Tecson),” said Verano, counsel of Brodett and Tecson.

“It would have been ignored except that it seemed the agents were dropping hints at the time,” he added.

The lawyer alleged that “3M pizza” could have meant “P3 million,” which the agents could have been waiting to be paid to drop the drug charges.

Brodett, Joseph and Tecson were arrested by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City, and Cubao, Quezon City, on Sept. 20, 2008. Seized from them were 60 tablets of Ecstasy, sachets of cocaine, and marijuana.

The PDEA claimed that P50 million had changed hands that resulted in state prosecutors recommending on Dec. 2, 2008 the dismissal of the case against Brodett, Joseph and Tecson. (The prosecutors have denied the allegation.)

Moreover, three bribe offers ranging from P3 million to P20 million were made to Major Ferdinand Marcelino, head of the PDEA’s Special Enforcement Service that arrested the Alabang Boys, the agency said.

Marcelino said the offers came from an emissary related to Tecson.

But Verano told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “At that time, there was no need anymore to bribe the PDEA because the inquest fiscal was arriving.”

“We have always believed we have a strong case so we will definitely not bite. Apart from that, the families have no capacity to make such a payoff and the children are innocent so there is no need to pay anyone,” the lawyer said.

Verano said the “3M pizza” hint would be included in the affidavits that Brodett and Tecson would submit to the NBI Special Task Force, which is investigating the alleged bribery.

Asked why it took time to reveal the alleged extortion attempt, Verano said: “We thought that the children were going to be released after the case against them was dismissed by the prosecutors but the PDEA continued issuing statements. We were also careful because they are still in the custody of the agency.”

Fancy story

Also Monday at the NBI, the parents of Brodett and Tecson accused the PDEA of concocting the “fancy P50-million story” to justify its continued existence. They also called for the dissolution of the agency, which they said had “not been doing well for the country.”

Butch and Myra Brodett and Joe and Flora Tecson, accompanied by Verano, insisted that they had no capacity to make a P50-million payoff.

Speaking for his clients, Verano said: “We have been quiet because we are afraid for the three boys (Brodett, Joseph and Tecson).”

Bruises

He showed pictures of Brodett with bruises on several parts of his body, including the arms and nape.

“These boys are victims… they (PDEA) are trying to justify their existence. PDEA must be dissolved completely,” Verano said.

He said the three young men had been framed and subjected to excessive force and illegal arrest, the reason for the dismissal of the charges.

“They have to say they have caught a big fish when they only caught galunggong and not pating (sharks),” the lawyer said, denying there was ever a P50-million bribe.

Butch Brodett told reporters: “Actually when they say bribery, look at the capacity first to bribe. How will you live after that (shelling out P50 million)?”

Asked if he would even consider bribery, he said: “No way. When I saw what happened to my son. I’m not in the mood to bribe. No way will I bribe.”

For his part, Joe Tecson maintained that his family had no capacity to carry out any payoff being merely a set designer for TV programs, and not a construction magnate that he was initially claimed to be.

He added that he didn’t know personally any official in government.

“They did not even check the backgrounds of the families (before making accusations of the bribery),” Verano said.

Arbitrary detention

The families are planning to file charges of arbitrary detention and libel against the PDEA and seek the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus from the Court of Appeals.

NBI’s Arnel Dalumpines confirmed that the lawyer had informed him of the alleged extortion attempt by agents of the PDEA.

He told the Inquirer that the “3M pizza” was among the allegations made by Verano and the parents of the “Alabang Boys” during Monday’s interview in his office.

He said the allegations would form part of the sworn statement of the parents in connection with the NBI probe of the alleged P50-million bribe.