Another cop in ₱6.7-B drug bust cited for contempt

The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Tuesday, May 16, cited Police Capt. Jonathan Sosongco in contempt after senators noted discrepancies in his testimony in the ₱6.7-billion anti-illegal drug operation last October.

Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chairman of the committee, cited Sosongco in contempt, after he was irked by the police officer’s response to the panel when asked about his “informant.”

Dela Rosa’s committee has been investigating the controversial buy-bust last October where 990 kilograms of shabu worth ₱6.7-billion were found in the custody of Police Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr.

Dela Rosa was shocked because it seemed that he was being manipulated by Sosongco's answers while hearing the controversial confiscation.

Sosongco had earlier announced that he was holding the informant but when Dela Rosa asked where the alleged informant can be found and if he really has the informant, Sosongco said they were only communicating through phone calls.

The police officer also admitted that he did not know the informant and only trusted him because he was from the PNP-Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Division (IFLD).

According to Sosongco, it was Police Staff Master Sgt. Jerrywin Rebosora who gave him the number of the informant he was talking to on the phone.

But Rebosora, who had also been cited in contempt by the panel in a previous hearing, denied Sosongco’s allegation. When Dela Rosa asked Sosongco to provide the contact number of his informant, Sosongco could not provide it because he has a different phone which he uses for work.

This irked Dela Rosa. “This is a big cover-up…that you withhold even the source of information or source.”

Dela Rosa turned to Sosongco again, and slammed him for trying to fool the committee when he in fact was part of the group that tried to hide some of the confiscated illegal drugs and was caught on surveillance camera.

He threatened to throw the microphone at Sosongco and cited the policeman in contempt afterwards.