Court issues hold departure order vs cops in P6.7-B shabu haul
(INQUIRER FILES)
MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has issued a hold departure order against 30 police officers lin ked to the bungled P6.7 billion shabu haul in 2022.
In an order, the Manila RTC Branch 44 granted the motion filed by the prosecution stating the possibility of evading arrest.
“The Court granted the moton finding merit in the argument of the movant that there is a high probability that the accused will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of the offenses charged against them, in view of the gravity and the nature of the cases as well as their financial capacity to facilitate their departure,” read the court’s order.
The court’s order came after the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed that one of the 30 accused has already left the country.
“The Court hereby orders the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to hold and prevent the departure of the accused at any Philippine airport, seaport or any port,” the court said.
The HDO covers Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., former PNP deputy chief for operations, Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, former PNP Drug Enforcement Unit director and dismissed intelligence officer M/Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr., the supposed major suspect in the drug operation.
Among the accused, 22 remain in service.
The over 900 kilograms of shabu were recovered at WPD Lending Office in Tondo, Manila, purportedly owned by Mayo.
Mayo and the 29 others are facing cases for the bungling of the prosecution and planting of evidence.
Of the 990 kilograms of shabu, the investigation showed that 42 kilograms went missing but were later recovered.
