(Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Senator Ramon ‘’Bong’’ Revilla Jr. wants a legislative inquiry into the alleged involvement of ranking Philippine National Police (PNP) officials in the P6.7-billion dangerous drug haul last year.Senator Ramon ‘’Bong’’ Revilla Jr. wants a legislative inquiry into the alleged involvement of ranking Philippine National Police (PNP) officials in the P6.7-billion dangerous drug haul last year.

Revilla sought the Senate probe through Senate Resolution (SR) No.564 following a disclosure by  Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. during the agency’s recent press briefing on the case.

“I first congratulate Secretary Abalos for his swift action on the matter. Nakakalungkot na tila may mga bulok pa rin sa organisasyon na sumisira dito kaya't kailangan na mausisa nang hindi na pamarisan (It is sad that there are bad eggs that destroy the organization that a probe is needed so it would not be repeated),” Revilla said.

In a press statement, Revilla said Abalos revealed that there was a “massive attempt” to cover up the arrest of Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr., a member of the PNP who also owned the property where the P6.7 billion worth of illegal drugs was recovered.

Based on the testimonies of several personalities and other pieces of evidence gathered by the fact-finding investigation of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), doubts have been cast on Mayo’s sole involvement and suggested that he may not have acted alone,’’ Revilla said.

During the press briefing, Abalos played the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage where several ranking members of the police are seen during the day of the buy-bust operation.

Abalos said that the video shows different scenarios from the narration of events contained in the reports provided by the PNP.

The police officers identified in the footage were Police Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr. who was then Deputy Chief PNP for Operations; Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, director of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG); Col. Julian Olonan, chief of PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) Special Operations Unit (SOU) Region 4A; Capt. Jonathan Sosongco, head of the PDEG SOU 4A arresting team; Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez, OIC of PDEG SOU National Capital Region (NCR); Maj. Michael Angelo Salmingo, deputy of PDEG SOU NCR; Lt. Col. Glenn Gonzales of Quezon City Police District; Lt. Ashrap Amerol, intelligence officer of PDEG Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Division; Lt. Col. Harry Lorenzo, Manila Police District Moriones Station Commander; and Captain Randolph Piñon, chief of PDEG SOU 4A Intelligence Section.

“Secretary Abalos thus far has risen to the occasion and stepped up to this big challenge. Ang kasunod, kailangang mapanagot ang mga may-sala at mapigilan na maulit pa ang ganito (The next step is for those liable be made to answer for their misdeeds so that it would not be repeated),” the lawmaker stressed.

"Ito ang dahilan sa likod ng paghiling natin sa Senado na tignan at suriin ang pangyayaring ito (This is the reason why we asked for a Senate inquiry). Para tumulong na siguruhing mananagot sa batas ang mga halang ang kaluluwa sa likod ng kalapastanganan na ito (The probe will help ensure that those with inverted souls be made to answer),” he added.