Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has instructed the prosecutors of Muntinlupa and Quezon City to file drug charges against the so-called “Alabang Boys”—Richard Brodett, Jorge Joseph and Joseph Tecson.

Gonzalez issued the order after Malacañang over the weekend reversed a Department of Justice resolution in December that found no probable cause to charge the three suspects with violation of the dangerous drugs law.

The justice secretary also said the DoJ had complied with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s order to the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission to investigate Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor, Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño, Senior State Prosecutor Phillip Kimpo and State Prosecutor John Resado.

“The President always has the prerogative to reverse the decision of the department. As we have said before, the final resort in the exhaustion of administrative remedies is the office of the President,” Gonzalez told reporters.

The DoJ and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency tangled over the resolution and allegations of bribery in an attempt to free the Alabang Boys.

The charges and countercharges prompted the President to form an independent panel to look into the matter.

Malacañang on Friday ordered the investigation of Resado for bribery and Zuño and Kimpo for negligence. Also ordered investigated were Blancaflor and PDEA officer Maj. Ferdinand Marcelino.

Malacañang also ordered that the case brought by PDEA be filed contrary to the DoJ resolution to have it dismissed.

As for the prosecutors, Gonzalez said they remained on leave and were not suspended.

He said the Palace only ordered their investigation and not their suspension.

“The memo I received from Secretary [Eduardo] Ermita did not say they should be suspended, it only said they should be investigated by the PAGC,” Gonzalez said.

Nevertheless, Gonzalez said, Zuño and the other DoJ officials were “practically serving a suspension because they are not receiving a salary.”

“No salary, no rata, no nothing,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said the prosecutors had approached him to tell him their leave had gone on three months well beyond the normal period for a preventive suspension.

“(It is) the President who asked them to go on leave. It’s only the President who can restore them,” Gonzalez said.