One more cop in 2022 Mayo drug fiasco arrested — PNP

Another active police officer who was among the accused in the alleged staged operation of the P6.7-billion drug haul in Manila in 2022 has been arrested, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.

At a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo identified him as Police Staff Sergeant Arnold Tibay.

“Walo na lang po yung at-large dahil may isa pa po tayong nahuli noong January 31. Yung isa po roon sa active PNP personnel ay nahuli na po at ngayon po ay nasa kustodiya po ng [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group],” Fajardo said.

(There are only eight at-large because we caught one more suspect on January 31. One of the active PNP personnel is now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.)

A total of 21 active and former police officers have been arrested so far in connection with the controversial anti-drug operation in 2022.

A panel of prosecutors has filed charges against 30 cops for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Of the 30 charged individuals, arrest warrants have been issued against 29 of them.

The cops’ supposed violations include the planting of evidence and the delay and bungling in the prosecution of the drug cases.

According to Fajardo, another arrest warrant will be issued against the suspects for misappropriation of illegal drugs seized in the operation.

The case was centered on dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. who was nabbed as authorities confiscated some 990 kilograms of suspected shabu with an estimated value of over P6.7 billion during drug operations in Manila in 2022.

He served as an intelligence officer for the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, based on police records. He was dismissed on March 21, 2023 over three counts of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

''The incident material to this criminal violation pertains to the bogus hot pursuit operation against Mayo where he was allegedly caught with two kilograms of shabu at Quezon Bridge,” the panel said in a resolution.

“As earlier discussed, this was merely concocted and staged with the intention of remedying the previous botched anti-drugs operation against Mayo, after realizing that he must not be set free,” it added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News