Barbers panel wants criminal, admin charges vs ‘ninja cops’

THE House Committee on Dangerous Drugs chaired by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against police officials and officers involved in the alleged attempt to cover up Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr.’s arrest in connection with the 990 kilos of shabu seized at a money lending firm in Tondo, Manila on October 8 last year.

In its committee report, the panel said the stash of shabu worth P6.7 billion seized at the WPD lending office “was a product of drug recycling; it was illegally taken from the seized evidence during the previous anti-drug operations of the PNP-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).”

“Some law enforcement officers are engaged in the reprehensible act of illegal drug recycling,” the panel said. “This unlawful conduct involves police officers seizing dangerous drugs during operations, only to divert them back into the illegal market for personal gain.”

The panel said the illegal scheme of “giving substantial portions of confiscated drugs as a reward to confidential assets/informants is a prevailing practice in anti-drug operations.”

The panel recommended that Mayo be charged for possession of more than 990 kilograms and members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Unit – Special Operations Unit 4-A (DEG-SOU4A) led by police Lt. Jonathan Sosongco be charged with obstruction of justice for planting evidence.

The panel said S/Mst. Sgt. Jerrywin Rebosora, Mst. Sgt. Lorenzo Catarata and other officers be charged for misappropriation of seized or confiscated dangerous drugs for pilferage and illegally taking away 42 kilograms of shabu;

Domingo, Col. Julian Olonan, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez, and Maj. Michael Angelo Salmingo be charged with obstruction of justice;

Domingo, Col. Julian Olonan, Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez and Maj. Michael Angelo Salmingo, graft for persuading, inducing, or influencing other public officers or allowing themselves to be persuaded or influenced to release Mayo;

Capt. Randolph Piñon, Pat. Mario Atchuela Jr., and other PNP DEG officers who participated in the staged “hot pursuit operation” be charged with perjury.

The panel also wants administrative