Court orders arrest of 29 cops over P6.7-B shabu

A Manila court has issued a warrant for the arrest of 29 active and former police officers over alleged irregularities in the seizure of 990 kilos of shabu valued at P6.7 billion in Tondo in 2022.

- By GHIO ONG and EVELYN MACAIRAN

In a two-page order dated Jan. 14, Judge Gwyn Calina of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 44 set bail of P200,000 for each of the defendants.

Twenty of the police officers are still on active duty. Five are commissioned officers, two of whom have the rank of lieutenant colonel. The rest are non-commissioned officers.

The court directed law enforcers executing the arrest warrant to use a body-worn camera and an alternative recording device.

Aside from bungling the prosecution of drug cases, the police officers were also charged with planting evidence under Section 29 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.