The PNP ordered the relief of Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, the director of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) last Wednesday, two days after he filed a leave of absence to pave the way for a deeper probe on the seizure of 990 kilos of shabu worth P6.7 million in Manila last October.
Domingo was ordered re-assigned to the office of PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
The relief order was signed by Maj. Gen. Robert Rodriguez, PNP director for personnel and records management, “by command of police General Azurin Jr.”
Brig. Gen. Faro Antonio Olaguera, the chief of the PNP Legal Service, was named as the new PDEG chief.
Olaguera, a lawyer, is a member of the PNP class of 1989 while Domingo is from the PNP Academy class of 1992.
In a statement, the PNP said Olaguera was designated as PDEG director “following the filing of a leave of absence” of Domingo.
Domingo and Col. Julian Olonan, chief of PDEG Special Operations Unit (SOU) 4-A (Calabarzon), filed their leave of absence last Tuesday, heeding the call of Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. a day earlier.
Last Monday, Abalos urged 10 police officials, including Domingo and Olonan, to take a leave of absence pending a wider probe on the raid at a money lending firm on October 8 last year in Tondo, Manila that yielded 990 kilos of shabu.
The firm is owned by now dismissed PDEG operative Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr., who was arrested in a follow-up operation a day later in Quiapo, Manila. He yielded two kilos of shabu worth P13.6 million.
Another officer Abalos asked to take a leave of absence was former PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., who is currently assigned with the office of the PNP chief.
The others are Capt. Jonathan Sosongco, a team leader from the PDEG SOU Region 4A; Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez, officer-in-charge of PDEG SOU National Capital Region (NCR); Maj. Michael Angelo Salmingo, deputy chief of PDEG SOU NCR; Lt. Col. Glenn Gonzales of the 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.
Abalos made the call after disclosing what he said was a “massive attempt” to cover up the arrest of Mayo.
Abalos gave the 10 officers a week to submit their leave of absence. He said he will be constrained to issue an order to suspend those who will not tender their leave of absence.
VETTING PROCESS
The five-man advisory group is nearly done processing the courtesy resignation of more than 900 police generals and colonels.
PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Redrico Maranan said the advisory group met yesterday morning, in keeping with their commitment to complete the process before the retirement of PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
Azurin, a member of the board, is due to bow out of the police service on April 24 upon reaching the retirement age of 56.
“Today, the advisory group is on the final stretch of the review and evaluation of the documents of 3rd Level Officers (generals and colonels) of the PNP,” said Maranan.
“As they have ended the proceedings for today, the advisory group has conveyed that they will accomplish their tasks efficiently and uncompromisingly without any bias,” he added.
He did not say how many more courtesy resignations are left to be processed but added: “Just a small number, there was no exact figure given.”
All police generals and colonels were urged by Abalos to submit courtesy resignations last January to fast-track efforts to rid the PNP of officers linked to illegal drugs.
Officials earlier said there were at least 10 police generals and colonels in the active service involved in illegal drugs and are the subject of an ongoing investigation.
