Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 11) — The Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) Director PBGen. Narciso Domingo and PCol. Julian Olonan, chief of PDEG Special Operations Unit Region 4A, on Tuesday said they will file a leave of absence pending the probe into an alleged cover-up of a police official’s arrest last year.
“We will file our leave of absence right after this conference,” Domingo said.
Domingo and Olonan are among the 11 high-ranking police officials and three personnel accused by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos of being involved in the mega shabu haul.
On Monday, Abalos urged police officials allegedly involved in the ₱6.7-B shabu haul last October to file their leaves of absence in the wake of a \”massive attempt\” to cover up the arrest of anti-drug intelligence officer PSgt. Rodolfo Mayo.
READ: Abalos urges PNP officials linked to ₱6.7-B shabu haul to go on leave
Nearly a metric ton of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu was seized from Mayo’s property in October 2022.
READ: ₱6.7-B worth of shabu confiscated in Manila PNP
In a statement on Tuesday, the PNP expressed its support for Abalos’ call for some police officers to file their leaves of absence.
“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 footages,” the statement read.
The agency stressed it will not tolerate any wrongdoing of members of the PNP – regardless of their rank or position.
‘No cover up’
Meanwhile, despite their plans to file leaves, Domingo brushed off claims that there is an attempt to cover up people behind last year’s massive shabu haul.
“Let me express my dismay that this is really unfair because we just did our mandate and our fight against illegal drug trade,” he said.
“We assure you there was no attempted cover up here. Kung yun po ang iniisip ng karamihan na ang PDEG ang nag cover up sa pinagagawa ng mga tao namin [Translation: If that’s what most people think, that PDEG is the one who covered up what our people are doing], that is not true,” Domingo added.
He also admitted lapses from the CCTV footage in which Abalos earlier bared.
Abalos said video from the anti-illegal drugs operation in Mayo’s lending firm showed that some PNP officers loading a sedan with a luggage and duffel bag.
“Tayo ang unang nakakita sa CCTV na yan at napanuod ko nga marami nga mali so I admit marami nga kami lapses,” Domingo said.
[Translation: We were the first to see that CCTV and I saw a lot of mistakes so I admit we did have a lot of lapses.]
