The Department of Justice (DOJ) has stood pat on its decision to file criminal charges in court against retired Police Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, former chief of the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG), over the “staged” anti-illegal drugs operation in Manila where P6.7 billion worth of shabu was seized in 2022.
“If PGen Domingo believes that the DOJ erred in indicting him, then he should know that he has legal remedies available to him,” said Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon on Sunday, Feb. 2.
Fadullon responded to the social media post of Domingo who claimed that the DOJ committed “a miscarriage of justice” in filing charges against him even though he has been working with the department to make the case airtight.
“Resorting to social media to gain sympathy is definitely not the right track to follow, specially so when the narrative presented is not only flawed, but slanted as well,” Fadullon stressed.
The DOJ filed before the Manila court charges against Domingo and 29 other former and current members of the PNP for planting of evidence as well as delay and bungling in the prosecution of drug cases in violation of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The cases stemmed from the alleged buy-bust operation against WPD Lending in Tondo, Manila that led to the arrest of Nely Saligumba Atadero and the seizure of 990 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P6.7 billion on Oct. 8, 2022 as well as the arrest of PMSG Rodolfo B. Mayo during a hot pursuit operation on Oct. 9, 2022 at the Quezon Bridge in Quiapo, Manila.
The DOJ panel of prosecutors filed the charges against the 30 accused after finding that the operations was found to have been “staged” after those involved were discovered to have concocted a false narrative on the actual operation.
Prior to the filing of the cases before the courts, Domingo claimed that he met with DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla and Fadullon to help make the case airtight against Mayo and the other accused.
Fadullon admitted meeting Domingo and Police Col. Darwin Paz, the legal counsel of PDEG, after being instructed by Remulla to hear what they have to say about the police operations.
“If I were to follow the arguments of PGen. Domingo, it would appear that because he came to see the SOJ (secretary of justice) in 2022, he should be absolved of any liability,” said Fadullon.
“This is erroneous and downright absurd in light of the fact that the evidence presented before us in 2022 were solely based on the narrative of PGen Domingo, which sad to say was incomplete and sanitized to suit his benefit,” he said.
Fadullon pointed out there was no other evidence presented to corroborate the story of Domingo.
He reminded that the charges were filed as “a result of a subsequent investigation conducted by the PNP-DIDM (Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management) and Napolcom (National Police Commission).”
“This was supported by CCTV (closed circuit television) footages which were duly authenticated,” he also said.
“Obviously, when these pieces of evidence were made available to the investigating prosecutors, the same had to be considered in resolving the cases of Planting and Bungling,” he added.