The Department of Justice has ordered the suspension of three Pasay City prosecutors who allowed the release of an airport Customs officer and a couple arrested for allegedly smuggling in P6 million worth of gold jewelry.
In an order dated May 21, acting Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra placed acting City Prosecutor Benjamin Lanto, Inquest Prosecutor Florencio dela Cruz Jr., and Associate Prosecution Attorney Clementine Villanueva under 60-day preventive suspension pending resolution of administrative proceedings against them.
Guevarra also ordered the Internal Affairs Unit to investigate the three prosecutors for gross neglect of duty, gross incompetence and inefficiency after finding a prima facie evidence against them.
He ordered the suspended prosecutors to file their replies to the charges within 10 days.
The three prosecutors were among those named by President Rodrigo Duterte last week as being investigated for corruption.
Guevarra noted that the three prosecutors approved the release of three smuggling suspects “despite the evidence at hand.”
He cited the case against Customs Flight Supervisor Lomontod Macabando and spouses Abraham and Bang-sa Mimbalawang who were caught smuggling P6 million worth of assorted gold jewelry from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates on May 5.
“The three suspects–Macabando and spouses Mimbalawang–were arrested and the subject of an inquest proceeding on 6 May 2018, at the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay. Following the inquest proceeding, the three suspects were released, despite the evidence at hand,” Guevarra’s order said.
Earlier this month, DoJ Assistant Secretary Moslemen Macarambon resigned upon orders by President Duterte over corruption allegations also in connection with the case of the Mimbalawangs.
The official was specifically accused of intervening in the smuggling case. According to Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner Greco Belgica, Macarambon used his power to lower the unpaid taxes for the smuggled jewelry from P7 million to P1.38 million.