PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa (seated, senter) and Supt. Lito Cabamongan (in black). Photo courtesy of PNP Public Information Office
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said the arrest of Supt. Lito Cabamongan, the chief of the Crime Laboratory’s Muntinlupa unit, proves that there are no sacred cows in the ongoing internal cleansing of the PNP.
“Wala tayong pinipili. Kahit na ano ang ranggo mo, basta ikaw ay involved sa drugs, ikaw ay huhulihin namin,” Dela Rosa told the media when he went to the Las Piñas police station where Cabamongan was brought after his arrest on Thursday morning.
(We don’t pick and choose. Whatever your rank is, as long as you’re involved in drugs, we will arrest you.)
Cabamongan was caught sniffing “shabu” (metamphetamine hydrochloride) with his female companion Nedy Sabdao in a shanty community inside Everlasting Homes at Barangay (village) Talon IV around 5:30 a.m.
READ: Muntinlupa Crime Lab chief caught in ‘shabu’ session
Las Piñas police said a concerned citizen tipped them off about an ongoing drug session in the said area.
Acting on the information, police rushed to the area and caught Cabamongan using shabu.
When Cabamongan was presented to the media earlier, Dela Rosa cursed and berated the ranking cop. He repeatedly denied using the illegal drug.
“Pagpasok nito sa pagkapulis baka hindi pa siya gumagamit. Pero nung nasa serbisyo na doon na gumamit (when he entered the police force, he wasn’t using yet. But when he became a police, he started doing drugs). Those are possibilities,” Dela Rosa said.
Charges for violation of Sections 13, 14 and 15 of the Republic Act no. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 were being readied for filing against Cabamongan and Sabdao.
Aside from the criminal case, an administrative charge will be filed against Cabamongan, who has since been relieved after the incident.
Dela Rosa immediately ordered his men to subject the arrested cop to a drug test at his home unit, Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame.
Cabamongan, escorted by Las Piñas cops, arrived at Crame 4:51 p.m. to undergo drug testing.
As he got off the police car, Cabamongan in handcuffs told reporters: “Violation ng human rights ito. Ang sakit na ng braso ko oh (this is violation of human rights. My arm hurts already).” JE
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