Revilla calls for inquiry on ‘ninja cops’ linked to P6.7 shabu haul
SENATOR Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 564 on Tuesday (April 11) directing the proper Senate committees to conduct a legislative inquiry on the alleged involvement of high-ranking officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the October 8, 2022 drug buy-bust operation in Tondo, Manila as bared by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos Jr. during the agency’s recent press briefing.
“I first congratulate Sec. Abalos for his swift action on the matter. Nakakalungkot na tila may mga bulok pa rin sa organisasyon na sumisira dito kaya’t kailangan na mausisa nang hindi na pamarisan,” Revilla said.
DILG Sec. Abalos revealed that there was a “massive attempt” to cover up the arrest of Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr., a member of the PNP who also owned the property where the P6.7 billion worth of illegal drugs was recovered.
Based on the testimonies of several personalities and other pieces of evidence gathered by the fact-finding investigation of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), doubts have been cast on Mayo’s sole involvement and suggested that he may not have acted alone.
During the press briefing, Abalos played the CCTV footage where several ranking members of the police were seen during the day of the buy-bust operation. He said that the video shows different scenarios from the narration of events contained in the reports provided by the PNP.
The police officers identified in the footage were Police Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., who was then Deputy Chief PNP for Operations; Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, director of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG); Col. Julian Olonan, chief of PNP-DEG Special Operations Unit (SOU) Region 4A; Capt. Jonathan Sosongco, head of the PNP-DEG SOU 4A arresting team; Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez, OIC of PNP-DEG SOU National Capital Region (NCR); Maj. Michael Angelo Salmingo, deputy of PNP-DEG SOU NCR; Lt. Col. Glenn Gonzales of Quezon City Police District; Lt. Ashrap Amerol, intelligence officer of PNP-DEG Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Division; Lt. Col. Harry Lorenzo, Manila Police District (MPD) Moriones Station Commander; and Captain Randolph Piñon, chief of PNP-DEG SOU 4A Intelligence Section.
“Sec. Abalos thus far has risen to the ocassion and stepped up to this big challenge. Ang kasunod, kailangang mapanagot ang mga may-sala at mapigilan na maulit pa ang ganito,” the lawmaker stressed.
“Ito ang dahilan sa likod ng paghiling natin sa Senado na tignan at suriin ang pangyayaring ito. Para tumulong na siguruhing mananagot sa batas ang mga halang ang kaluluwa sa likod ng kalapastanganan na ito,” he ended.
