Senate panel holds 2 police officers in contempt for lying about drug involvement

MANILA, Philippines — Two operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were ordered detained after the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs cited them for contempt on Wednesday.

The two officers were Police Senior Master Sergeant Jerrywin Rebosora and Police Master Sergeant Lorenzo Catarat.

Senator Raffy Tulfo motioned during the panel’s hearing as the officers denied being caught on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera carrying 42 kilos of shabu (crystal meth), which were then declared “missing.”

The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs cites in contempt Police Sr. Master Sgt. Jerrywin Rebosora and Police Master Sgt. Lorenzo Catarat for lying about their alleged involvement in illegal drugs. | @DFernandezINQ pic.twitter.com/fOp0VtMjYe

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) March 15, 2023

“Talagang halatang nagsisinungaling ‘tong dalawa. Masarap ipa-contempt ‘to para makatikim ng kalaboso ‘tong dalawang ‘to. Nagsisinungaling under oath,” Tulfo said.

(It’s so evident that these two are lying. I want to hold them in contempt so that they can experience jail. They’re lying under oath.)

The motion was approved as no one objected.

Prior to being cited in contempt, the officers said that they were not the ones who carried the 42 kilos of shabu.

They claimed that they were eating at a nearby eatery when the incident happened.

However, based on the account of Police Colonel Roland Portera, the two officers later surrendered the shabu.

Portera narrated that he reached out to Rebosora to surrender the shabu after the latter was seen carrying it.

“Nung nagkausap kami ni Rebosora, ang naging arrangement namin, dadalhin namin sa headquarters,” Portera told the panel.

(When I talked to Rebosora, our arrangement was to bring back the drugs to the headquarters.)

But, Rebosora surrendered the drugs to another officer and did not go to the headquarters anymore, Portera said.

Panel chairperson Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa then scolded Rebosora.

“Rebosora, under oath ka tapos nagsisinungaling ka sa harapan ko na hindi kayo ‘yung kumuha. Ngayon, kayo ang nagbalik ng shabu. Kayo ang nag-usap na i-surrender ‘yung shabu. Niloloko mo ba ‘ko?” dela Rosa said.

(Rebosora, you are under oath, yet you are lying by saying that you did not take it. Now, we will know that you returned it. You talked about surrendering it. Are you trying to fool me?)

Senators likewise learned during the hearing that some informants were given 30 percent of the seized drugs as a reward for the tip.

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