(File photo)
MANILA – Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, director of the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) was relieved from his post following the controversy on the case of a police sergeant who yielded 990 kilos of shabu worth PHP6.7 billion in an operation in Manila last year.
In an order signed on April 12, Domingo who was forced to go on leave based on the directive of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos and was transferred to the Office of the Chief PNP.
Domingo was replaced by Brig. Gen. Faro Antonio Olaguera as PDEG director.
Olaguera, a member of the PNP Academy Class of 1989, used to be assigned with the PNP Legal Service.
Domingo and the head of PDEG in Region 4A, Col. Julian Olonan, were the first to comply with Abalos' order. Seven other PDEG officials are yet to comply.
Aside from Domingo and Olonan, other police officials seen in the footage showed by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. are Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., then PNP Deputy Chief for Operations; Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, Capt. Jonathan Sosongco, head of the PDEG SOU 4A arresting team; Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez, OIC of PDEG SOU National Capital Region (NCR); Maj. Michael Angelo Salmingo, deputy of PDEG SOU NCR; Lt. Col. Glenn Gonzales of Quezon City Police District; Lt. Ashrap Amerol, intelligence officer of PDEG Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Division; Lt. Col. Harry Lorenzo, Manila Police District Moriones Station commander; and Capt. Randolph Piñon, chief of PDEG SOU 4A Intelligence Section.
Both Domingo and Olonan denied “protecting” Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo, saying that what was shown in a video is actually a tactical move to seize more shabu supposedly in a Pasig City warehouse which was squealed by Mayo after his arrest.
Abalos earlier said the concerned officers have a week to file their leave of absence, otherwise, they would be suspended.
Meanwhile, the PNP-Highway Patrol Group also has a new director, Brig. Gen. Raul Bargamento, who replaced Brig. Gen. Clifford Gairanod who voluntarily quit his post due to the controversy surrounding an alleged hazing victimizing a motorcycle riding course trainee involving his son.
Bargamento is a member of PNP Academy Class of 1991.
In a statement on April 4, the PNP Public Information Office said Gairanod's move will give way to a fair investigation of the incident which took place during the graduation rites of the executive motorcycle riding course in Sariaya, Quezon on April 2.
The former HPG chief said he takes full responsibility for the incident.
In the video, the trainee was shown being asked to kneel before he was repeatedly hit by a training officer, witnessed by other trainees and trainers.
Before quitting, Gairanod had sacked the training officer and the rest of the training staff pending the result of the investigation.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. ordered the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to conduct an investigation while commending Garainod's professionalism.
Azurin said Gairanod will be reassigned to the Office of the Chief PNP. (PNA)
