The Philippine National Police has confirmed the removal of its Drug Enforcement Group chief from his post after his alleged attempt to cover up the arrest of a police officer during an anti-drug operation last October.
Police Brig. Gen Narciso Domingo has been removed from his post amid the ongoing investigation of the seized P6.7 billion worth of shabu.
He confirmed the development to GMA News, saying: “It was effective yesterday (Wednesday). (Police Brig. Gen. Antonio) Olaguera will replace me. I am now on floating status.”
Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday launched a probe against Domingo and nine others after a CCTV footage showed the arrest and the attempted cover-up of the dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr., a PDEG intelligence operative.
In a statement, the PNP said Olaguera assumed the post as PDEG head after Domingo filed his leave of absence.
“PNP Chief, Police General Rodolfo S Azurin Jr. named Police Brig. Gen. Faro Antonio Olaguera as the new Director of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG),” it said.
Olaguera is the former chief of the PNP Legal Service and is a member of the PNP Academy Class 1989.
Abalos earlier called on Domingo and nine other police officers to take a leave to give way to the investigation on the alleged attempted cover-up in the series of operations that netted P6.7 billion worth of shabu in October last year.
Abalos launched a probe led by the National Police Commission into the illegal drug case of now-dismissed Mayo Jr. involving 990 kilograms of confiscated shabu.
The DILG chief said Napolcom’s fact-finding panel was convened due to the supposed slow pace of the police investigation into Mayo’s case.
According to Abalos, Napolcom’s investigation showed that “there is indeed a massive attempt to cover-up the arrest of Mayo.”
Domingo denied any attempted cover-up.
“We assure you that that there was no attempted cover-up here, if that is what most people are thinking that PDEG itself is doing the cover-up for our people,” he said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Domingo expressed dismay that they were dragged into the case when they were just doing their job, noting that their group had led the biggest drug haul in the police force.
“Let me express my dismay that this is being unfair on the part of those of us who just did our mandate and just did our fight against illegal drugs trade,” he said.