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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 59 of 74 persons charged over 'irregular' seizure of P6.7B worth of shabu in Manila given til May 30 to file counter-affidavits

59 of 74 persons charged over 'irregular' seizure of P6.7B worth of shabu in Manila given til May 30 to file counter-affidavits

Published Apr 19, 2024 10:47 am

Fifty-nine of the 74 persons, most of them policemen, charged in the alleged irregular seizure in October 2022 of 990 kilos of shabu with estimated street value of P6.7 billion were given until May 30 to file their counter-affidavits.

The 59 respondents in the complaints appeared before the prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) during a preliminary hearing conducted last Thursday, April 18.  They were given copies of the complaints.

To those who failed to attend, the DOJ said in a statement that they were given another chance to appear personally during the scheduled hearing on May 2.

 “The complaints against the respondents stemmed from the findings submitted to the DOJ by the NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission) in its Fact-Finding Inquiry Report,” the DOJ said. 

In July 2023, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. announced that criminal complaints were filed against those involved in the alleged anomalous operation.

They were accused of violations of Republic Act (RA) 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices, and RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022; falsification; perjury; false testimony; malversation of public property under the Revised Penal Code (RPC); and obstruction of justice under Presidential Decree 1829.

Abalos identified those charged as Police Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, Col. Julian Olonan, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibanez, Lt. Col. Glen Gonzales, Major Michael Salmingo, Lt. Jonathan Sosongco, Lt. Col. Dhefrey Punzalan, Lt. Jefrrey Padilla, Lt. Randolph Pinon, Lt. Silverio Bulleser II and Lt. Ashrap Amerol.

There were also non-commissioned officers charged and among them were dismissed Police Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr., Police Senior Master Sgts.  Jerrywin Rebosora, Roman Jimenez, Marian Mananghaya, Clitton de Leon, Arnold Tibay and Ronnie Alonzo; Police Master Sgts. Lorenzo Catarata, Bryan Rodas, Carlo Bayeta and Alejandro Flores; Police Chief Master Sgts. Emmanuele Docena and Jerry Barit; Police Corporals Jose Joey Igana IV, Joan Franceslynn Taradji, Joshua Ivan Baltazar and Jhon Roland Gelacio; Patrolmen Joe Marie Cristobal, Dennis Carolino, Rommar Bugarin, Hassan Kalaw, Hustin Peter Gular, Adrian Florie Sanchez, Nathaniel Gomez, Windel de Ramos,  Mario Atchuela Jr., Jayson Tomas, Rommel Fabian, Kyhke Ramilo, Nemar Baylon, Maico Bien Baldeo, Mara Magaway, Ivan Jay Calcetas,Abigail Tumanguil,Dhonna May Facton, Melvin Barbo, James Osalvo and Darious Camacho.

Reports stated that Mayo, who was then a member of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG), was arrested during the operation at the lending agency that he owns in Tondo on Oct.  9, 2022 and was subsequently dismissed.

However, Abalos said that there has been a cover up among police officials and officers involved in the operation.  He said he found inconsistencies with the report made by PNP-DEG that conducted the operation and footage from closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Among these inconsistencies, Abalos said CCTV footage showed that Mayo was already arrested during an operation on Oct. 8, 2022 and not on Oct. 9, 2022 as reported by the PNP-DEG.

CCTV footage also showed that there were policemen involved in the operation who attempted to steal 42 kilos of the shabu, he said.

“The DOJ is relentless in getting into the bottom of this case,” assured Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla in a statement.

“We are giving all the parties equal opportunities to ensure that there will be no let-up  and that airtight cases will be filed and will not just go to waste,” he stressed. 

 

 

 

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