Magalong names 13 ‘ninja cops’
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2019 07:59:07 +0000
BAGUIO City Mayor Benjamin Magalong testifies during the Senate Blue Ribbon inquiry on ‘ninja cops’. (Jansen Romero)
Thirteen policemen involved in alleged drug recycling in Pampanga in 2013 and 2014 were named Tuesday by former Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Benjamin Magalong during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing.
The so-called “ninja cops” are PSupt. Rodney Raymundo Louie Baloyo, Police Senior Insp. Joven de Guzman, Jr., SPO1 Jules Lacap Maniago, SPO1 Donald Castro Roque, SPO1 Ronald Bayas Santos, SPO1 Rommel Munoz Vital, SPO1 Alcindor Mangiduyos Tinio, SPO1 Dante Mercado Dizon, SPO1 Eligio Dayos Valeroso, PO3 Dindo Singian Dizon, PO3 Gilbert Angeles de Vera, PO3 Romeo Encarnacion Guerrero and PO2 Anthony Loleng Lacsamana.
The policemen were members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office who conducted a buy-bust operation in the afternoon of Nov. 29, 2013 in Woodridge Subdivision, Lakeshore View in Pampanga.
But the raiding team reported that only 38 kilograms of shabu and some cash were seized, and arrested a certain Johnson Lee.
However, Magalong said then PNP Chief Alan Purisima called him up and directed him to investigate the men after learning that several intelligence officers of the provincial office suddenly acquired new sports utility vehicles (SUVs).
Following an investigation and reenactment of the operation, Magalong said that 200 and not 36 kilograms of shabu were actually confiscated and that the operation was conducted at 10 a.m.
Magalong, now the mayor of Baguio City, said Lee was able to escape the buy-bust operation and sought the help of barangay officials. But the village officials got suspicious of Lee when he offered them money to let him go.
This prompted the barangay officials to call the police in Mexico, Pampanga who returned Lee to the venue.
According to Magalong, witnesses said it was not Lee whom the team of Baloyo presented during a media briefing but a certain Ding Wen Kun. The witnesses also told them that the shabu confiscated in Lee’s residence were placed in an oversized luggage that was being carried by at least four people.
One of the witnesses also said one box of cash was also taken from the house.
Magalong said that when then Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, then Region 3 police director found out that the PNP-CIDG is doing its own investigation of the buy-bust operation, Petrasanta immediately relieved then Senior Superintendent Oscar Alabaylde and conducted an investigation and filed a case against the team of Baloyo.
Immediately after the incident, Magalong said they learned that the illegal drugs became rampant in Pampanga.
“We were able to establish na around 200 kilos ang nakuha. Ang price noon R5,500 to R6,000 per gram. We found out na bumaha ang drugs sa Pamapanga at bumagsak ang presyo ng shabu sa R4,000 per gram o R4 million per kilogram,” he said.
Magalong said they also found out that Lee paid R50-million for his freedom. When Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Richard Gordon asked the police present during the hearing where Lee is now, they cannot provide any details, saying they do not know.
Magalong also said the CIDG noticed that the criminal and administrative charges that have been filed against the 13 police officers were weak. He did not know what happened to the cases until he retired in 2016.
According to Magalong, they found out that Petrasanta ordered the dismissal of the 13 cops for grave misconduct in Nov. 2014, but the order wa
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