DOJ suspends 3 Pasay fiscals over corruption

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has suspended for 60 days three Pasay City prosecutors who ordered the release of an airport Customs officer and a couple arrested for alleged smuggling of P6 million worth of jewelry.

In a two-page resolution signed on May 21, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra placed on a preventive suspension acting city Prosecutor Benjamin Lanto, Inquest Prosecutor Florencio de la Cruz Jr. and Associate Prosecution lawyer Clementine Villanueva on orders of the President.

Guevarra also ordered the DOJ internal affairs unit to investigate Lanto, De la Cruz and Villanueva for gross neglect of duty and incompetence after finding evidence against them.

The prosecutors were ordered to file their respective answers within 10 days from receipt of the order.

With the suspension of Lanto, Guevarra named Deputy Prosecutor Dolores Pulgo-Rillera as officer-in-charge of the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.

The three fiscals were publicly named by President Duterte last week as among those being investigated for alleged corruption.

According to Guevarra, the prosecutors supposedly approved the release of three arrested smuggling suspects “despite evidence at hand.”

Customs flight supervisor Lomontod Macabando and couple Abraham and Bang-sa Mimbalawang were apprehended over the alleged smuggling of assorted gold jewelry from Dubai in United Arab Emirates on May 5.

The suspects were released following their inquest on May 6.

Earlier this month, DOJ Assistant Secretary Moslemen Macarambon resigned from his post after he was accused of intervening in the smuggling case of the Mimbalawangs.

According to Presidential AntiCorruption Commission commissiner Greco Belgica, Macarambon allegedly used his power to reduce the taxes for the smuggled jewelry from P7 million to P1.38 million.