MANILA, Philippines—Several influential persons tried to intervene on behalf of the families of the “Alabang Boys,” Director General Dionisio Santiago of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) told reporters shortly before he faced a probe of the case in the House of Representatives.

“They have connections in high places. But the question is whether these connections would act on their behalf,” Santiago said at a weekly news forum hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

He said some of the intervention “were insinuated, some were direct pressure.”

Santiago said he was incensed that a text message was sent to a “credible person” alleging that he had already been bribed.

The text message reportedly went: “What’s the problem of General Santiago. He has been paid.”

Santiago said he had received a call telling him to expect an “immediate call” from Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita about the case.

But Ermita never called and was surprised that his name was mentioned at all when Santiago told him about the call.

Ex-congressman’s call

Santiago identified former Navotas Rep. Ricky Sandoval as among those who called him about the Alabang Boys.

But he said he found “nothing irregular” about Sandoval’s call since the former congressman only relayed the suspects’ families’ request that their sons not be harmed while under detention.

Santiago said a friend of 20 years and a fellow golf player also called on behalf of the father of Richard Brodett, one of the Alabang Boys. The other two were Joseph Tecson and Jorge Joseph.

“Pare, ano balita? May magagawa pa ba? (What’s up? Can we still do something?)” Santiago quoted his friend, who he said was not from government. The PDEA chief said he told his friend that the case was already with the Department of Justice.

Golfer

“Our common link is golf. Mr. Brodett is a golfer and I do not begrudge him for this. That’s his son,” Santiago said.

Sandoval confirmed that he called up Santiago several months ago to inquire about the case.

He said he made the call upon the request of Brodett’s father, Butch Brodett, who was a golfing partner.

“He just wanted to ensure that his son would not be harmed. Santiago assured me that the young men would not be hurt,” he said in a phone interview.

Sandoval said the elder Brodett made the request to him because both he and Santiago were from Navotas. There was no other favor sought of him, the former lawmaker added.

“Anyway, the case is out of the hands of the PDEA by that time. It was with the DOJ,” he added.

Limcaoco nephew

The younger Brodett is the nephew of Conrado Limcaoco, a presidential adviser for provincial affairs and director general of the Philippine Information Agency.

“I cannot deny my blood but I will deny influencing the case,” Limcaoco told reporters Tuesday before the start of the Cabinet meeting in Iligan City.

He admitted that Brodett’s mother was his cousin.

Asked if he had ever tried to help his nephew in the case or if he had been asked for assistance, he repeatedly replied: “I did not attempt to influence the case.”

Palace: No need to step in

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo doesn’t see the need to intervene in the rift between the PDEA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) over the dismissal of a drug case.

“Since this is now being investigated by the House, the President doesn’t see the need to step into the fray,” Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a phone interview. “Let the chips fall where they may.”

The two agencies have traded barbs, with PDEA officials insinuating that the DOJ prosecutors had been bribed into dismissing a drug case against three wealthy young men.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza hoped that Tuesday’s inquiry into the bribery charges would bring an end to the charges and countercharges between these two agencies.

Despite the threat of countercharges from the suspects’ lawyers, Santiago said he was already satisfied that the media attention on the case has effectively ended the suspects’ further drug trafficking activities.

“We were able to unmask them, that’s good enough,” he said. With reports from TJ Burgonio, Christian V. Esguerra and Leila B. Salaverria