More than a ton of drugs worth P6.7 billion that were recovered by authorities during a raid in Manila in October last year are likely to have been stolen, according to the Philippine National Police, who are looking for additional missing "shabu" or crystal meth.
The PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management's Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz claimed in a press conference on Sunday that the 990 kilograms of shabu reported seized in a raid on October 8 of last year were all that remained following the alleged theft of the drugs by some members of the PNP's Drug Enforcement Group (DEG).
According to Cruz, the amount excludes the "more than 42" kilograms that two noncommissioned officers reportedly stole but later turned in.
Cruz further noted that based on the CCTV tape they examined, Capt. Jonathan Sosongco, leader of the DEG-SOU (Special Operations Unit) 4A arresting team, appeared to be in charge.
In the Wealth and Personal Development Lending Inc. (WPDLI) office in Tondo, Manila, the illegal substances were found and confiscated.
Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr., an anti-narcotics agent who ran the lending business and has since been fired from the military, was apprehended under Sosongco's leadership. Sosongco was one of the 49 police officers who were held accountable for allegedly covering up anomalies in that operation.
The highest-ranking officer implicated in the case, former DEG director Police Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo is anticipated to face more serious accusations of command responsibility.
Meanwhile, after the suspected cover-up, the SITG has advised that the DEG staff be reorganized and retrained.
