MANILA, Philippines – A local court has ordered the arrest of police officers and personnel charged over the anomalous P6.7-billion shabu controversy that rocked the Philippine National Police (PNP) early into the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s presidency.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla confirmed the issuance of the warrants against 29 of the cops charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ). The cops face charges for planting of evidence and bungling of prosecution in drug cases under Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Among those ordered arrested were the PNP’s former No. 3 man, retired police lieutenant general Benjamin Santos Jr., and former PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) chief Police Brigadier General Narciso Domingo.
Presiding Judge Gwyn Calina of National Capital Judicial Region Branch 44 issued the warrants. The bail was set at P200,000 for each of the cops.
Of the 30 implicated, 22 cops remain in service, two have retired, three have availed of early retirement, two have been dismissed, while one has resigned, the PNP said. Aside from the criminal complaints, the PNP said it will also pursue administrative cases against active cops, which if found guilty, could lead to their dismissal.
The arrest of former PDEG cop Rodolfo Mayo Jr. in 2022 over nearly one ton of shabu triggered the probe into the alleged ties of cops to the illegal drug trade. In a bid to address the controversy, then-interior chief Benhur Abalos asked full police generals and colonels to file their courtesy resignations. This was followed by an independent review of a committee that determined whose resignations would be accepted.
The resignation of those with proven links to the illegal drug trade were said to be accepted. In June 2023, the DILG said it filed criminal complaints against the implicated cops, but the indictment of the cops only happened in December last year.
The prosecutors’ resolution was only made public earlier this week, according to the DOJ. – Rappler.com