Will he attend? Barbers asks Mayo to join House probe on Tondo drug bust
The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs is eyeing the participation of disgraced former police master sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. in its upcoming hearing Wednesday, April 26 on the controversial drug bust involving 990 kilos or P6.7 billion worth of “shabu" last year. Nearly 50 Philippine National Police (PNP) are involved in the incident, which had been tainted by an alleged cover-up, said committee chairman, Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers. "Actually lahat inimbitahan namin...yung sinasabing involved na sinuspindi ni [Department of the Interior and Local Government] Sec. [Benhur] Abalos (Actually we invited all of them...all those who were involved and suspended by Sec. Abalos)," Barbers said in an interview. "So we invited all of them, lahat ng nandodoon sa isyung iyon (all those involved in the issue), including...sergeant Mayo. Si sergeant Mayo, siguro, kung papayagan siya via Zoom, kasi he has been charged already so nakakulong na siya sa BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) (Maybe, If sergeant Mayo will be allowed to attend via Zoom, because he has already been charged and is held at the BJMP). "So pag pinayagan siya mas maganda because maraming questions patungkol kay Mayo (So if he will be allowed, that would be for the best because there are a lot of questions pertaining to Mayo)," explained Barbers. The Wednesday hearing is by virtue of House Resolution (HR) No.495, which Barbers filed back in November 2022. The Mindanaoan had earlier said that there is a need to delve deeper into the alleged involvement of police officers in the alleged cover-up and attempts to recycle the illegal drugs seized during the Oct. 8, 2022 drug bust in Tondo, Manila. On that day, the police confiscated 990 kilos of shabu from the office of a lending company owned by Mayo. Mayo was formerly connected with the PNP-Drug Enforcement Group (DEG). Barbers said the Mayo camp has yet to give any feedback on the committee's invitation.
The panel proceedings Wednesday is an extension of its motu proprio investigation into the alleged recycling of confiscated drugs, reward system for drug informants, and the alleged commission being received by asset/s or non-organic intelligence people of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). The reward in this case is a percentage of the cops' illegal drug haul