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MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of 29 police officers involved in a P6.7-billion drug bust in 2022 that prosecutors said was “staged.”

Of the 29, 22 remain in active service, while five have retired and one has been dismissed, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

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As of press time, 19 of the officers charged had yet to be placed in restrictive custody of the PNP, which has formed a task force ”to ensure (their) swift apprehension.”

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READ: ‘Simulated’ drug bust: 30 PNP men charged

The arrest warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 44 set bail at P200,000 per respondent.

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The warrant pertains to the charge that they violated Section 92 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which deals with the delays or mishandling of drug cases at the prosecution stage.

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The same court has yet to issue a separate warrant for the nonbailable offense of planting evidence.

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Named on the warrant are Benjamin Santos Jr., Narciso Domingo, Julian Olonan, Arnulfo Ibañez, Michael Salmingo, Dhefry Punzalan, Jonathan Sosongco, Carlos Bayeta, Hustin Peter Gular, Rommer Bugarin, Hassan Kalaw, Dennis Carolino, Joshua Ivan Baltazar, Nathaniel Gomez and Ashrap Amerol.

Also included are Jerrywin Rebosora, Lorenzo Catarata, Marian Mananghaya, Arnold Tibay, Glenn Gonzalez, Randolph Piñon, Mario Atchuela, Windel De Ramos, Silverio Bulleser II, Emmanuele Docena, Alejandro Flores, Jhan Roland Gelacio, James Osalvo, and Darius Camacho.

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In a 47-page resolution dated Dec. 10, 2024, a panel of prosecutors at the Department of Justice (DOJ) recommended the filing of charges against 30 police officers, including two generals, for planting evidence and bungling the prosecution of the case stemming from the operation.

The charges were in connection with a buy-bust operation that, when first reported, was said to have led to the arrest of Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo and one Ney Atadero.

Mayo, who is currently in police custody and was also indicted in the DOJ resolution, along with Atadero, face drug cases earlier filed by the DOJ before the Manila court.

Police initially reported Mayo was arrested at Quiapo Bridge in a hot pursuit operation on Oct. 9, 2022, and was found carrying two kilos of crystal meth, or “shabu.” Atadero was reportedly arrested the day before in a separate buy-bust operation in Tondo.

However, security camera footage obtained by the DOJ showed that Mayo was actually arrested on Oct. 8 in a buy-bust operation in Bambang, another area in Tondo.

Napolcom findings

The video, portions of which were shown by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) during a Palace press briefing on Monday, showed that Mayo had been detained earlier than officially reported and was moved between locations without proper documentation.

It was a reference to the notorious “behest loans” granted to individuals or corporations favored by powerful government officials.

About a year later, all that optimism disappeared into thin air, along with its Greenbelt showroom, which was once a vibrant outlet showcasing different e-scooter models. This space—meant to attract heavy foot traffic—has been padlocked very recently.

Napolcom’s investigation uncovered attempts by the police to cover up irregularities in Mayo’s earlier arrest, including the failure to document the operation and his involvement in a large drug haul at the Wealth and Personal Development Lending office in Tondo, which Mayo owned.

According to the DOJ resolution, despite being in custody for several hours at WPD Lending, no formal arrest or inventory of Mayo’s supposed drug cache was recorded.

Portions of the seized drugs were allegedly misappropriated as “rewards” for confidential informants.

“Through their acts, acquiescence, orders, and approval of the acts before, during, and after the bungled operation, these police officers deliberately caused the unsuccessful prosecution of drug cases that should have been appropriately filed against Mayo and Atadero,” the DOJ prosecutors said.

‘Simulated’

They stressed that the pending criminal cases against Mayo and Atadero were “predicated on the simulated operations they allegedly conducted” and that the officers’ claims were inconsistent with the actual events.

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“Necessarily, the filing of cases in court against the alleged offenders will not, in any manner, erase their culpability for the flawed drug operation, especially since the incidents related therein did not, in fact, happen,” they added.

In a statement, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil said administrative cases would also be filed against the accused officers who were still in active service.

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According to PNP datasuper game, five of the 22 active personnel are assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office: four from Police Office Region 1 (Ilocos); two from PRO 4A (Calabarzon); three from PRO 4B (Mimaropa); one each from PRO 7 (Central Visayas), Civil Security Group and Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit; and three from Headquarters Support Service. —with a report from Frances Mangosing

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