Magalong: No cover-up in PNP shabu haul

MANILA, Philippines — Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has debunked allegations of a cover-up in the arrest of M/Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr. in whose office in Tondo, Manila nearly a ton of shabu worth P6.7 billion was seized last year.

Magalong has also vouched for the integrity of outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., amid allegations that his trusted officials, along with other police officers, are involved in a grand cover-up to shield Mayo from arrest and prosecution.

“Personally, I would say that if there’s anyone standing on moral ground here in the ranks of the PNP, it’s really the Chief PNP,” Magalong told reporters on Friday night.

Magalong is a former police general known for his integrity and investigative work in the PNP that he was made part of the Marcos administration’s five-man advisory panel to evaluate the records of police officials who submitted their courtesy resignations.

Stressing that he had looked into the controversial anti-drugs operation, Magalong also vouched for Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr. and  Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, the PNP’s deputy chief for operations and former Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) chief, respectively.

His remarks contradict the assertion of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos, who made the accusation of a cover-up and insinuated that Domingo, Santos and eight other police officers had to be investigated for their part in it.
At a press conference two weeks ago, Abalos presented closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) footage purportedly showing Santos, Domingo and several other police officials at the scene where Mayo was allegedly released after being arrested.

But Magalong said he conducted his own inquiry, subjecting Azurin and Domingo to his questioning and obtained from them all the details about the case. He has yet to share this information with Abalos.

“My interview with them was very intense and definitely I would say there was no cover-up on the part of the Chief PNP and Gen. Domingo,” he said.

A few days after Abalos made his allegations public, Domingo defended the decision to release Mayo, stressing it was a tactical move after the rogue police officer claimed there were more illegal drugs stored in a warehouse in Pasig City.

For his part, Azurin had said he was informed about the follow-up operation but denied it would result in Mayo’s exoneration.

However, the PNP chief said he halted the plan upon learning that Mayo might be killed by other police officials who are part of a drug syndicate and wanted to cover their tracks.

“Eventually, when he was informed of the danger, what did the Chief PNP do? He said, ‘wait, recall, arrest him (Mayo),” Magalong, speaking partly in Filipino, said.

“I interviewed the Chief PNP, really talked him down. I also interviewed Gen. Domingo. Certainly, I would say they were very truthful to me,” he added.
Magalong said the accusations raised against Domingo were unfair, as he stressed the need to protect the integrity of such senior police officers.

Reacting to Magalong’s assessment, Azurin told reporters: “I don’t see any reason why Mayor Magalong will say that if he did not have a basis, so I really thank Mayor Magalong for his support.”