I join the entire country in general and all well-meaning active and retired police officers and men in particular in demanding that the truth be out in the controversy-laden seizure of P6.7 billion worth of shabu in Manila in October last year.

Actually, revelations made by DILG chief Benhur Abalos and counter-statements issued by ranking PNP officials accused by the latter of having a role in the alleged effort to ‘cover-up’ the real truth behind the major drug sting have caused large demoralization and so many unanswered questions in the 227,000-strong police force.

“Bugbog na ang organization namin Alfred. I hope that very soon, the real truth behind all of these accusations will be out, that the real culprits will be unmasked, arrested and charged in court. Kung hindi, tinatawanan lang kami ng mga taong tunay na nasa likod ng malaking sindikatong ito,” an active police general told me.

Another PNP general likewise informed me that very soon, the truth will really come out. Just like the 1st official, the 2nd general demanded anonymity but said once the truth is out, a number of PNP officers and men will really have sleepless nights as they will spend the rest of their lives defending themselves in court.

Since the ‘cover-up’ story came up in the press, the organization really has been disheartened, dismayed by allegations that some of its top officials played a part in the supposed ‘cover-up.’ However, I believe that these allegations will be fully explained to the public once PNP chief, General Jun Azurin finally comes out in the open to explain the whole thing.

What is clear here is that the allegations and counter-allegations have cropped up while the country is still waiting for President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s decision on who will succeed Gen. Azurin once he retires from the force on his 56th birthday this coming April 24.

Having covered the police force since its establishment in 1991 and having been a close friend to almost all the past 27 PNP chiefs before Gen. Azurin, I know that the sitting President and Commander-in-Chief always consult a retiring PNP chief on who he thinks is the best official to succeed him.

It should be clear to all that the PNP chief has the full trust and confidence of the President who appointed him to his post and thus, along with the DILG chief and other close confidantes of the President will have a major role in deciding on who will become his successor.

As have been proven in the past, good service reputation and track record, major contributions to the peace and order programs of the government and loyalty to the Constitution and the duly-constituted authorities—especially of course to the President—will be the major factors in deciding who will replace Gen. Azurin. The President really has to choose a PNP chief who will go all-out in defending himself and the country from all Enemies of the State–inside and out.

It’s also very saddening that two weeks before his retirement, Gen. Azurin has to parry left and right blows and has to appear before the Senate to tell all in the interest of fairness and truth. He really has to defend himself and the entire PNP organization, he being the “Father of the PNP.’ The ‘Father’ of the police force really must not allow syndicate members to create intrigues and preempt the result of the probe into the P6.7-billion drug haul by the Special Investigation Task Group 990.

On Saturday, I received this well-written message from an unknown sender. The letter said: The Men and Women of the PNP support the SILG in pursuing the truth. As public officer we are accountable to the people.”

“A lot of stories came out on the confiscation of the 990kls of drugs, which tends to obstruct the case. For justice to be served and the officers involved punished, the true account of what transpired in the operation, as well as the arrest of Mayo must be reported. Curtailment of the truth would only result in distrust.”

“The Filipino people deserves to hear the truth. White wash and cover up talks would damage the institution. SILG’s actions to ferret out the truth is best for the PNP, especially for the honest men and women who deserves the respect of the public, and not the ire and wrath evoked by the criminal few.”

“Full transparency will allow the Filipino people to discern for themselves. The truth is the best cultivator of trust. Which is what the PNP, as an organization needs,” the message said.

I received the message just hours after former PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Lieutenant Gen. Benjie Santos of PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 denied his involvement in the alleged cover-up of irregularities committed by lawmen involved in the P6.7- billion shabu haul.

“I strongly deny any involvement in whatever impropriety or infraction of law or standard operating procedures, if there are any, in the alleged cover-up in the buy-bust operation,” the official said as he asked Sec. Abalos to give him due process to explain his role in the October 8, 2022 operation.

Lt. Gen. Santos said that the DILG chief may be very well-meaning in making the pronouncement last week although he cried that he was not given any chance to explain his side on the matter.

The official said he was celebrating his 55th birthday when he was called by Gen. Azurin to proceed to the Sta. Cruz, Manila office where the P6.7 billion worth of shabu were recovered. He said he arrived at the scene around 6:20 p.m. or around two hours after the buy-bust was already consummated and left around 7:40 p.m.

Sec. Abalos earlier called on Lt. Gen. Santos and nine other police officers and men led by now relieved PNP Drug Enforcement Group director, Brigadier Gen. Narciso Domingo Jr. to file their leave of absence to give way to a National Police Commission investigation into the controversy-ridden anti-narcotics operation in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

The DILG chief has convened a Napolcom fact-finding panel to investigate what he described as a ‘massive attempt to cover-up the arrest’ of Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. during the October 2022 operation. Now in jail facing non-bailable drug charges, Mayo has been ordered dismissed from the police service by Gen. Azurin.

Brig. Gen. Domingo maintained his conscience is clear as he filed his leave of absence. “We assure you that that there was no attempted cover-up here, kung ‘yun po ang iniisip ng karamihan na ang PDEG kami ay nag-cover up sa maling pinaggagawa ng mga tao namin,” he said. The official also said that they have turned over all pieces of evidence including CCTV footages at the scene of the operation to the SITG 990 created by Gen Azurin following the incident.

The official also maintained that it was him and his men who were involved in the seizure of the 990 kilos of shabu which were eventually destroyed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency last March 16. “It is us who also discovered that some of our men smuggled 42 kilos of the drug. Kung kasabwat kami, sana tumahimik na lang kami pero agad kaming nagreport kay Chief,PNP. Our conscience is clear and we assure you that there’s no attempt to cover-up right from the very start,” he said.