A Philippine police general linked to a massive drug haul in 2022 has fled the country as authorities pursue active and former police officers allegedly involved in a 'bogus' and 'staged' operation. The case has sparked a series of investigations and hearings, highlighting deep-seated concerns about corruption within the police force.
A police general linked to the P6.7-billion drug haul in Manila in 2022 has fled the country as authorities hunt down active and former cops accused in the controversial 'bogus' and 'staged' operation. The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the police general flew out on January 8 prior to the issuance of a warrant of arrest against them. Following this, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 44 has issued a hold departure order (HDO) on the accused police officers.
\This operation resulted in the arrest of 50-year-old suspect Ney Saligumba Atadero. During the interrogation, the nabbed suspect said that the illegal drugs' storage was located inside the office of lending firm Wealth and Personal Development Lending Inc. in Sta. Cruz. Documents were found in the company’s office that implicated several individuals including its owner, Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. of the PDEG Special Operations Unit - National Capital Region. Around 990 kilograms of shabu worth at least P6.7 billion were seized in the operation, according to the police. Around 9 p.m. in Pasig City, the police also apprehended a certain Juden Francisco and seven others in Sorrento Oasis in a follow-up operation. \On October 9, 2022, authorities conducted another operation and arrested Mayo on Quezon Bridge in Quiapo, Manila. Confiscated from Mayo were two kilograms of shabu worth P13.6 million. November 23, 2022 saw the PNP announce that 10 PDEG personnel including Mayo were relieved from their posts after they were linked to the illegal drug trade after the operations. Courtesy resignations were requested by then-Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos from PNP generals and full colonels on January 4, 2023, to rid the police force of officers involved in the illegal drug trade. A five-member committee was created to review the resignations and recommend them for the approval of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Abalos pointed out that it is a shortcut for the long process of the justice system, technicalities, and other factors. \Nearly 600 ranking police officers have filed their courtesy resignations, according to then-PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said on January 9, 2023. Mayo was dismissed from the service on March 21, 2023. On April 5, 2023, Abalos stated that more high-ranking police officers were involved in Mayo's case. As the chairperson of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), Abalos ordered his vice chair Alberto Bernando on March 27 to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into Mayo’s case. An attempt at a 'massive cover-up' in the October 2022 drug haul was alleged by Abalos on April 10, 2023. 'The fact-finding board has taken testimonies of several personalities and based on this and other pieces of evidence... under the possession of the board, it shows that there is indeed a massive attempt to cover-up the arrest of Mayo,' Abalos said. Due to this, Abalos asked two police generals and several other police officers to go on leave. \On April 11, 2023, then-PDEG chief Domingo said he and nine other police officers will file for a leave of absence to give way to the investigation. However, Domingo denied any cover-up in the illegal drug case of Mayo. Domingo was removed from his post as PDEG chief on April 13, 2023. Then-PNP chief Azurin on April 17, 2023 denied that there was a cover-up in the controversial October 2022 drug haul. “Why start a fact-finding group in the first place if there was no intent to dig deeper in the drug mess, which obviously continued to persist through the years,” Azurin said. “The SITG’s finding will prove wrong the critics claim that there was an attempt to derail the investigation,” he added, referring to the Special Investigation Task Group. \Hearings and complaints followed. On April 26, 2023, in a House hearing, House dangerous drugs panel chairperson Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte called out police officers involved for discrepancies in their testimonies. On May 23, 2023, in a Senate hearing, Mayo and his superior Lieutenant Colonel Arnulfo Ibañez were questioned for supposedly lying and refusing to disclose who is behind the drug haul. Criminal complaints were filed against 50 police officers, according to Abalos on June 13, 2023. On December 27, 2023, the Department of Justice has formed a panel composed of experienced prosecutors to assess the additional charges and pieces of evidence that might strengthen the case in the controversial drug haul. Arrest warrants were issued against 29 active and former cops in the supposed mishandling of the P6.7 billion drug haul on January 15, 2025.
POLICE BRIBERY DRUG TRAFFICKING PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE INVESTIGATION CORRUPTION
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