PH Lawmaker Calls Out Discrepancies in Testimonies of Police Involved in P6.7 Billion Shabu Bust

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Philippine National Police (PNP) officers involved in the P6.7 billion shabu bust have been called out for discrepancies in their testimonies during an investigation by the House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs. During the hearing, Surigao Representative Ace Barbers, the dangerous drugs committee chairperson, pointed out that the testimony of the PNP top brass was inconsistent with the date, time, and place of arrests of Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. and his alleged accomplice Ney Atadero. The two were linked to the almost a ton of shabu discovered in Tondo, Manila, last October 2022.

Brigadier General Narcisco Domingo Jr., former PNP Drug Enforcement Group chief; and Lieutenant Colonel Julius Olonan, PDEG special operations unit Calabarzon chief; as well as Captain Jonathan Sosongco, who led the drug bust, were among the 10 ranking officers told to go on leave after the National Police Commission’s fact-finding board found evidence of an alleged attempt to cover up Mayo’s arrest. Later, a total of 49 cops were found to have allegedly committed lapses in the drug bust, and were ordered to return their service firearms, following a probe by the SITG 990 (special investigation task group).

During the hearing, Olonan said that only Atadero, a non-PNP suspect, was arrested at 1 pm at WPD lending in Tondo, the alleged front business that turned out to be a drug den, while Mayo was arrested in Bambang. While Sosongco told congressmen that Mayo and Atadero were both captured at around 4 pm in WPD.

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Mayo and Atadero also appeared at the seven-hour hearing in the afternoon, but refused to answer questions, invoking their right against self-incrimination. Domingo, for his part, denied there was an attempt to cover up Mayo’s arrest. He said that the presence of senior officials in the CCTV speaking in vehicles was to discuss their next moves.

Domingo emphasized that there was no attempted coverup that happened. He added that they conducted CCTV backtracking in the crime scene to possibly identify other cohorts of the suspects. The team also worked to recover the pilfered 42 kilos of shabu and had submitted the CCTV footage to the SITG 990 and to the National Police Commission (Napolcom). Domingo also mentioned that he has been cooperative with the Department of Justice in its case buildup against the suspects.

Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr., the newly-appointed PNP chief, told the House committee that wrongdoings by police personnel would not be tolerated under his leadership. Acorda pledged to enforce transparency and uphold the rule of law in all operations of the PNP.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle against illegal drugs in the Philippines, where President Rodrigo Duterte launched a controversial “war on drugs” campaign in 2016, which has drawn international criticism for its extrajudicial killings and alleged human rights abuses. Despite the criticism, the Philippine government has maintained that the campaign has been effective in reducing drug-related crimes in the country.

However, incidents such as this shabu bust and the subsequent discrepancies in the testimonies of the involved officers raise concerns about the transparency and accountability of law enforcement agencies in the country. The investigation by the House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs is a step towards addressing these issues and ensuring that the rule of law is upheld in all operations.

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