‘All’s well in the force’

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership on Wednesday welcomed any investigation into the controversy-marred anti-drug operation in Manila last October, which led to the seizure of 990 kilograms of shabu worth P6.7 billion and the dismissal of a “rogue” policeman found involved in the foiled attempt to store the drugs prior to their distribution in the local market.

PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief Colonel Redrico A. Maranan also maintained that the 227,000-strong force remained firm on its resolve to keep peace and order in the country and won’t be affected by the involvement of a very few of their colleagues in illicit activities.

“The PNP leadership headed by General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. welcomes any congressional investigation into the matter and will be ready to answer all matters to be raised point by point,” said the official.

The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) 990 is expected to make public the result of the investigation it conducted into the multi-billion peso drug haul, which dragged the names of a number of police officers and men, officials said.

Maranan also said that as a “highly-professional” organization, the PNP remains “100 percent committed” to its duty to enforce the law and keep peace and order in the streets despite the latest controversy.

The PNP leadership likewise aired its full support to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr.’s call on some police officers to go on a leave of absence in the wake of an ongoing investigation into the major drug haul.

“The PNP supports the intention of DILG Secretary Atty. Benjamin Abalos Jr. to conduct [an] investigation on the circumstances related to the arrest of PMSgt Rodolfo Mayo Jr., who was involved in the (P6.7 billion) drug haul in the country [in] October last year,” said Maranan.

“Likewise, the PNP backs SILG’s call for the voluntary submission of leave of absence by PNP officers depicted to be directly involved in the arrest of PMSgt Mayo as seen in the CCTV footage. We believe that such is the most prudent thing to do by said officers to prevent them from influencing the investigation at any stage,” he added.

Maranan said that it was Azurin Jr. who ordered the creation of SITG 990 upon the recommendation of PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) director Brigadier Gen. Narciso D. Domingo.

The PNP-DEG director on Tuesday said he will heed the call of Abalos, although he vehemently denied charges that there was an attempt to “cover-up” the said drug operation and maintained that the fact will always remain that they managed to seize 990 kilograms of shabu and caused the dismissal of Mayo from the service.

Domingo called for the creation of the SITG when he discovered that some of his men pilfered more than 42 kilos from the bulk of shabu recovered inside a lending office owned by Mayo, who has been dismissed from the force since then.

During the course of the investigation by the SITG 990, all possible pieces of evidence that could aid in the conduct of the investigation, including CCTV footage, have been gathered to determine and identify all possible personalities involved in the said incident.

Maranan said that the SITG has diligently and efficiently gone over all the gathered sets of evidence in order to reach a logical conclusion.

“The SITG has conducted 21 case conferences twice a week for the past months and [has] been exercising prudence by ensuring that all evidence collected (is) to be accepted by the court. The final report with recommendation has already been submitted to the Office of the Chief, PNP,” he explained.

“In all circumstances, the PNP will not tolerate any wrongdoing of any member of the organization, regardless of rank and position. We will respect the proceedings and abide by the directives of the NAPOLCOM and other constituted authorities in this matter,” he added.

Be that as it may, the PNP is firm in its commitment and oath to be an organization clothed with integrity and worthy of the people’s trust and confidence,” the official said.