MANILA. Philippine National Police Chief General Rodolfo Azurin. (Photo by Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo)
Abalos was referring to the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the actual series of events during the operation as the evidence.
“In law, there is the principle of res ipsa loquitur. The thing speaks for itself. The video in itself is a statement of what transpired,” he said in a statement on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
“While I respect [PNP Chief] General [Rodolfo] Azurin, I am sure he agrees with me that the public deserves to know the truth. Hindi lamang sa isyu ng 42 kilos kundi higit sa lahat sa kung ano ang nangyari sa 900 kilos na nakumpiska (not just on the issue on the 42 kilos, but on the what happened to the 900 kilos of shabu that were confiscated),” he added.
Abalos said he fully trusts the National Police Commission (Napolcom), which he tapped for the conduct of a parallel investigation on the irregularities surrounding the October 8 drug operation that also resulted in the arrest of dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo, a former member of the Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).
The secretary earlier called out the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) 990 for its slow investigation on the operation.
The SITG released its findings on April 16, six months after the operation, but it only covers the surrendered 42 kilograms of shabu, which were stolen by several policemen from the crime scene.
In the report, the SITG said 49 PDEG members, including its relieved director Brigadier General Narciso Domingo, were found administratively and criminally liable in terms of the surrendered 42 kilos of shabu.
SITG chairman Major General Eliseo Cruz said the stolen shabu could be more than 42 kilograms.
He said it is part of their continuing investigation along with the irregularities of the October 8 operation.
Abalos said there is a massive cover-up on the operation, noting that the CCTV footage does not match the report of the PDEG on the matter, especially on the arrest of Mayo, which appeared to have happened on October 8 and not October 9 as stated in the police report.
Abalos said it also turned out that Mayo served as an arresting officer in a police operation against drugs suspects in Pasig hours after he was released and he was recommended to be given a commendation.
Azurin and Domingo both said that releasing Mayo was part of a tactical strategy to collar drug suspects, who may have more stash of drugs in their possession.
The top cop said he approved the plan but maintained it does not include letting Mayo be free and not charge him for the violation of the illegal drugs law.
But Azurin said he is not aware that Mayo was made to serve as an arresting officer during the follow-up operation.
Amid concerns that criminal charges for the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002 against Mayo will be dismissed due to technicality due to violation of police operational procedure, Azurin said it is already up to the court.
“If it will pave the way for us to identify all these people. Sabi ko nga we have our own strategy. Sa chess nga pinapakain mo ‘yung pawn para makain mo ‘yung mas malaki,” he said.
In a press conference in Camp Crame on Monday, April 17, Azurin said among the marching orders of Abalos to the police force is to get to the roots of the problems, especially on illegal drugs.
For this matter, Azurin said Mayo was just a leaf in a tree and getting into the root will take a lot of work and trust.
“Binigyan mo ako ng objective, I’ll reach that destination don’t ask me kung ano ‘yung gagawin ko. Ganun lang yun. We just need to put trust,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)
