A police general has surrendered to authorities amid the arrest warrant against those involved in the alleged staged operation in Manila in 2022, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.
Based on a release order of the Regional Trial Court Manila Branch 44, Police Lieutenant General Benjamin Santos Jr. voluntarily surrendered to authorities and posted a P200,000 bail.
“Around 4:48 a.m. this morning, sumuko po siya sa [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group] at binasahan po siya [warrant of arrest] at dumaan sa normal booking procedures,” PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo told reporters in a message.
“After posting P200,000 bail, around 9:12 a.m. today, nai-release na po sa custody ng CIDG si General Santos pursuant po sa release order issued ng RTC Manila Branch 44,” she added.
Before this, Fajardo said Santos’ lawyer had forwarded surrender feelers to the CIDG. Authorities waited for Santos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
According to the Manila court, Santos posted bail for a case in violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly the delay and bungling in the prosecution of drug cases.
Santos was formerly the PNP deputy chief for operations.
As of February 3, a total of 21 active and former police officers are in custody so far in connection with the controversial anti-drug operation in 2022.
A panel of prosecutors has filed charges against 30 cops for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Of the 30 charged individuals, arrest warrants have been issued against 29 of them.
The cops’ supposed violations include the planting of evidence and the delay and bungling in the prosecution of the drug cases.
The case was centered on dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. who was nabbed as authorities confiscated some 990 kilograms of suspected shabu with an estimated value of over P6.7 billion during drug operations in Manila in 2022.
Mayo served as an intelligence officer for the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, based on police records. He was dismissed on March 21, 2023 over three counts of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
”The incident material to this criminal violation pertains to the bogus hot pursuit operation against Mayo where he was allegedly caught with two kilograms of shabu at Quezon Bridge,” the panel said in a resolution.
“As earlier discussed, this was merely concocted and staged with the intention of remedying the previous botched anti-drugs operation against Mayo, after realizing that he must not be set free,” it added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
