Court issues hold order vs 30 cops in ‘staged’ bust

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has issued a hold departure order (HDO) against 30 police officers implicated in the alleged staged of illegal drug operation involving over 900 kilograms of shabu worth P6.7 billion in Tondo, Manila.

Manila RTC Branch 44 ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to “hold and prevent the departure of the accused hereunder named at any Philippine airport, seaport, or any port and to include their names in the hold departure list of the said office.”

The officers are accused of delaying and bungling the prosecution of drug cases and included in the HDO are P/Lt. Gen. Benjamin D. Santos Jr., PBGen. Narciso D. Domingo, P/Col. Julian T. Olonan, P/Lt. Col. Dhefry A. Punzalan, P/Lt. Jonathan G. Sosongco, PMSG Carlos C. Bayeta, Pat. Hustin Peter A. Guiar, Pat. Rommer I. Bugarin and Pat. Hassan O. Kalaw.

Also included are Pat. Dennis L. Carolino, P/Cpl. Joshua Ivan Baltazar, Pat. Nathaniel Gomez, P/Lt. Ashrap T. Amerol, PSMS Jerrywin H. Rebosora, PSMS Marian E. Mananghaya, PMSG Lorenzo S. Catarata, PSSG Arnold D. Tibay, PCol. Arnulfo G. Ibanez, P/Lt. Col. Glenn Gonzalez, PMaj. Michael Angelo C. Salmingo, P/Lt. Randolph A. Pinon, Pat. Mario M. Atchuela, Pat. Windel C. de Ramos and P/Lt. Silverio P. Bulleser II.

Joining them are PCMS Emmanuele E. Docena, PMSG Alejandro F. Flores, P/Cpl. Jhan Roland L. Gelacio, Pat. James G. Osalvo, Pat. Darius R. Camacho and PMSG Rodolfo Mayo.

The case stemmed from the October 2022 arrests of Mayo and Ney Atadero. Mayo was apprehended in a hot pursuit operation on 9 October, while Atadero was allegedly arrested in a buy-bust operation on 8 October.

Reports indicated that both incidents reportedly led to the confiscation of billions worth of shabu.

However, the Department of Justice said the arrests were staged, as CCTV footage presented by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Police Commission revealed inconsistencies in the police narrative.

The footage, also shown by former Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. during a press conference, allegedly showed Mayo in handcuffs as early as 8 October, contradicting claims of his arrest the following day. He was seen being brought to WPD Lending — a site linked to the drug bust — while Atadero was observed moving freely in the same location.

The resolution concluded that Mayo was already arrested earlier in Bambang, Tondo, Manila, for allegedly possessing two kilograms of shabu. The CCTV footage showed Atadero freely roaming the WPD Lending office, indicating that the subsequent arrests were staged.