Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said Monday he is convinced that there is a massive cover-up in the ranks of the Philippine National Police over the P6.7 billion “shabu” haul in October last year.

“There’s really a cover-up. But as to what extent, we haven’t finalized it yet because based on the interviews we have done, no one is willing the speak the truth. Everyone is avoiding the truth,” Dela Rosa said partly in Filipino, during an interview over the ANC Channel.

However, Dela Rosa is optimistic that the truth will come out once the report is finalized. He added that the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs is already determining the “level of cover-up” in the PNP.

To recall, PNP Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. approved on 6 March the dismissal from the service of Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr., a member of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group, who was arrested along with nine others in a buy-bust operation in Manila. PDEG Chief BGen. Narciso Domingo supervised the operation.

Dela Rosa said the “cover-up angle was focusing on Domingo’s statement that Azurin had knowledge of the said anti-drug operation involving Mayo.

“We are focusing on that statement. So what does chief PNP know? Is it [that the] PNP chief knows we will not surface Mayo because it will drag the PNP as a whole? In what context does the PNP chief know it?,” he said.

According to Dela Rosa, Domingo previously said that Azurin had a heads-up on the conduct of follow-up operations on the drug haul.

“He asked clearance from the chief PNP to conduct a follow-up operation. That’s why they uncuffed Mayo to make it appear that Mayo was part of the operation,” he said.

Also, Dela Rosa believes Mayo is not alone in the drug cover-up. However,  Mayo refused to “incriminate anybody.”

“He is invoking his rights against that incrimination. So he is really he is sealed on the syndicate. For the time being, he is the main suspect. He has the constructive control or position over that shabu,” Dela Rosa said.