THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is denoralized with regards to the allegations made by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos of a cover-up in the biggest drug haul in the Philippines in October 8, 2022, where it yielded 990 kilos of shabu.
“Very obvious. Sa tagal naming iniingatan ang aming uniporme, inaasahan namin na may mga ganitong pangyayari pero it’s a matter of perception,” PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management Director, Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz said
Cruz made the reaction when asked to comment kn the recommendations of criminal and administrative liability of the 49 personnel of the PNP-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), including a former chief in the massive cover-up involving PHP6.7 billion worth of confiscated shabu in Manila.
Cruz served as the chairman of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) 990 to which was recommended that Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo and 48 other members of PDEG Special Operations Unit 4A and Intel & Foreign Liaison Division (IFLD) to face charges both administrative and criminal for the alleged cover-up.
They are also slated to face various
cases based on their participation in the incident.
Cruz said that Domingo, now relived and assigned to the Office of the Chief PNP will face stiffer charges because of command responsibility.
“Bakit pa nagkaroon ng mga officers kung nangyayari ang mga ito. Kung parang bakod yan, bakit puro hollow blocks ang bakod mo, walang poste. So poste yun yung mga officers para matibay hindi ba so if you will not accept responsibility, hindi ka dapat diyan sa mga posisyon na yan and unfortunately itong nakita natin, the officers are the ones doing it. So yun ang ating tinututukan ngayon,” Cruz stressed.
“Hindi talaga biro pero ito nga yung aming pinili naming trabaho at eto lang yung alam naming trabaho pero for every offense committed by our own personnel, we are the complainants. Kami ang dapat magrereklamo. Hindi pupuwedeng wala kaming pakialam kasi kami ito eh, kami ang bumubuo ng PNP at kami ngayon ang matagal na sa PNP although ito lang ang alam naming trabaho pero talagang it affects the morale of our organization kaya kami as senior officers we encourage our men to continue our job everyday,” he added.
Cruz said the SITG has conducted 21 case conferences that ended last March 31 and they have three copies of the final draft of the Investigation Report that was already sent to the office of the Chief PNP Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., the other copy sent to National Police Commission (Napolcom) and one copy for the SITG.
Cruz pointed to Police Capt. Jonathan Sosongco was the one who appeared to be calling the shots based on the CCTV footage they obtained.
“If we look at the video, it’s Capt. Sosongco because very obviously under his watch, these illegal activities were happening,” said Cruz in a press briefing.
Sosongco was the head of the arresting team that conducted the operation which resulted in the confiscation of the shabu and the arrest of Police Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo, Jr. inside a lending agency that the latter allegedly owns in Tondo, Manila.
Catherine R. Cueto
