PNP-Drug Enforcement Group gets new chief
ERSTWHILE Philippine National Police Legal Service director Brigadier General Faro Antonio O. Olaguera on Wednesday was named as the new PNP Drug Enforcement Group director vice Brig. Gen. Narciso D. Domingo.
A member of PNP Academy ‘Tagapagbukod’ Class of 1989 who used to be the Police Attaché to Saudi Arabia, Brig. Gen. Olaguera is a seasoned lawyer who was designated by PNP chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. as PNP Legal Service director last August 8, 2022.
Brig. Gen. Olaguera was the former Deputy Regional Director for Operations of the Police Regional Office 12 in Soccsksargen region.
Gen. Azurin designated Colonel Arthur R. Llamas, the PNP-LS deputy director as Officer-in-Charge of the unit.
Olaguera replaced Brig. Gen. Domingo, who went on a leave of absence to give way to a thorough investigation into the controversy-marred seizure of 990 kilograms of shabu worth P6.7 billion in Sta. Cruz, Manila in October 8 last year.
Domingo, a member of PNPA ‘Tagapagpatupad’ Class of 1992 heeded the order of Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr., for him and nine others to go on leave while the investigation is being conducted.
However, Brig. Gen. Domingo denied any cover-up in the illegal drug case of a PNP-DEG intelligence officer, Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. who was dismissed in connection with the multi-billion drug haul.
“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 Special Investigation Task Group 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.
Abalos said an initial investigation showed that “there is indeed a massive attempt to cover-up the arrest of Mayo” although Brig. Gen. Domingo denied such move.
