The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said 15 out of the 29 active and former police officers with arrest warrants for their alleged involvement in a staged operation linked to the P6.7-billion drug haul in Manila in 2022 are now in police custody.
“There are some who are still at large. We’re in the process of taking them into custody, CIDG chief PBGen. Nicolas Torre III said in an interview.
According to Torre, some of the individuals who are still at large have expressed their willingness to surrender to authorities.
A panel of prosecutors has filed charges against 30 police officers, including two high-ranking generals, for alleged violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Arrest warrants have been issued for 29 of the accused.
The charges involve alleged offenses such as planting evidence and mishandling or delaying the prosecution of drug-related cases.
The investigation revolves around dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr., who was arrested during a 2022 drug operation in Manila where authorities seized approximately 990 kilograms of suspected shabu, valued at over P6.7 billion.
Mayo, formerly an intelligence officer with the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, was dismissed from service on March 21, 2023, for 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.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said a PNP-wide probe will be launched on drug hauls beginning 2016 after the order to file criminal charges against 30 cops linked to the controversial drug haul in 2022.
