PNP: Ex-PDEG chief to face stiffer charges over alleged cover-up in P6.7 billion shabu bust

Former Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) Director Police Brigadier General Narciso Domingo may face stiffer administrative charges, relative to his subordinates, over an alleged cover-up of the P6.7 billion shabu drug bust in Manila October of last year.

PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) director Police Major General Eliseo Cruz said this during a Sunday press conference in which Cruz presented the Special Investigation Task Group 990’s findings in its investigation into now-dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr.'s drug case.

Mayo was arrested in October 2022 as authorities confiscated some 990 kilograms of suspected shabu with an estimated value of over P6.7 billion following a series of anti-drug operations in Manila.

Cruz said some police officers allegedly pilfered around 42 kilos of shabu from the illegal drugs seized from Mayo.

Due to this, 49 PNP officials and personnel would face criminal and administrative charges due to their alleged cover-up of the incident.

According to Cruz, Domingo—the highest ranking official tagged in the issue—-as well as five other police officials, committed grave neglect of duty “for failure to suppress the criminal act of their respective subordinates.”

Cruz added that Domingo and four others were also allegedly guilty of "incompetence to perform duties of a police officer especially as a PCO or Police Commissioned Officer."

“The higher the responsibility, the higher the rank, the higher the accountability. You are the commander, you should know what is happening with your men… I believe that mas mataas ang kanyang haharapin na kaso sa administratibo na kinakaharap nila ngayon [he will face stiffer administrative charges],” Cruz said.

Domingo had denied any cover-up in Mayo's drug case.

Cruz named Police Captain Jonathan Sosongco, head of the PDEG Special Operations Unit 4A that time, as the one allegedly directing the pilferage.

“It’s Captain Sosongco ang makikita natin sa CCTV footage na nagkukumpas [directing the pilferage based on the CCTV footage]. Very obvious na under his watch, these illegal activities were happening,” he added.

Cruz said a copy of the findings would be given to the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which will file the appropriate charges against the cops “as soon as possible.”

“Most of them were relieved already from PDEG… Out of the 49, I believe that there are still some of them who are still with the PDEG and that is one of our recommendations for them to be relieved from PDEG and be assigned to proper unit,” he added.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos earlier launched a probe led by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) into the issue due to the supposed slow pace of the police investigation into Mayo’s case.

According to him, Napolcom's investigation showed that “there is indeed a massive attempt to cover-up the arrest of Mayo.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News