PNP: 49 in shabu cover-up to be charged ASAP

MANILA, Philippines — Forty-nine policemen will be charged for allegedly acting “for their own gain and interest” in the seizure of 990 kilos of “shabu” from the office of disgraced former master sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. in Tondo, Manila last October, a top police general said yesterday.

Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, said the indictments will be made “as soon as possible.”

“These documents, a copy of this will be given to the IAS [Internal Affairs Service] and the CIDG [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.],” Cruz said. “As soon as possible, we are requesting the IAS and the CIDG to file these appropriate charges criminally and administratively before the proper forum.”

Cruz told reporters that the 12 police commissioned officers and 37 non-commissioned officers mentioned in the special investigation task group (SITG)’s findings manifested misfeasance and misconduct “for their own personal gain and interest.”

Even if most of them are already relieved from their posts, Cruz said he has directed the CIDG to gather more evidence on their criminal liability over the incident in which Mayo was arrested but also released.

“We need heavier pieces of evidence, when filing criminal charges,” he said. “I believe there are still some of them who are still with the PDEG (PNP Drug Enforcement Group).”

The most prominent among them to be relieved of his post in the PDEG was its director, Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, who personally led the operation to seize the drug haul and arrest Mayo. He is now reassigned to the office of the PNP chief.

Cruz said they are looking at the crime in three parts: the source of the 990 kilograms of shabu, the Oct. 8 operation in Tondo, and suspected pilferage.

“We want to know the real story behind those illegal drugs. At least, the outcome of the pilferage is already here and we are all willing to continue our job as SITG to fully find out,” Cruz reiterated.

“Initially, we are focused on the 42 kilograms and we presented the outcome, the result of the investigation, and we will continue with this. We are not closing this investigation. We welcomed the extension of our job as SITG,” he added.

The SITG will also look into the supposed uncuffing and release of Mayo, a former member of the PDEG. “The CCTV footage we saw bared that Mayo was uncuffed by Domingo, so this has to be investigated why it happened. Who ordered this?” he said.

Mayo was arrested last year after police found “incriminating” documents implicating him in the crime, after the storage place of the 990 kilograms of suspected shabu was found to be named under him.

Cruz said the liability of Domingo is heavier because of command responsibility.

“You are the commander, you should know what is happening to your men… I believe that he will be facing higher (administrative liabilities) because they reached that rank not just overnight,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cruz said it really takes time to investigate a matter of this magnitude. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos earlier slammed the supposed delay in the investigation of the 990 kilograms of suspected shabu. “I think, we are on the timeline because the SITG really did a lot. With due respect to the secretary, I think we are on time and we are still working on other angles to investigate,” he said.

The SITG has also recommended that all PDEG personnel undergo a weekly squad interactive session and that a financial investigation and lifestyle check on them would be conducted every six months.

Speaker: Revamp PNP anti-drug unit

At the House of Representatives, Speaker Martin Romualdez over the weekend said reorganizing the anti-drug unit of the PNP would be best if only to regain the people’s trust and confidence in it.

“While an in-depth investigation to ascertain the truth is being undertaken, measures to reorganize the police force’s drug unit should be implemented,” Romualdez suggested, as he expressed disappointment over alleged irregularities in Mayo arrest.

“I am dismayed and saddened to learn that some of those accused of alleged involvement are members of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, the very same people tasked to go after peddlers of illegal drugs,” he lamented.

“The investigation into these allegations must be swift and thorough. Let the ax fall where it must because police involvement in this alleged cover-up, especially anti-drug operatives, cannot and should not be tolerated,” the House leader insisted. — Delon Porcalla