MANILA – The name of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde has been dragged into the controversy over “ninja cops” or those who allegedly resell confiscated narcotics.
Albayalde’s name was mentioned by former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) head and Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong during Tuesday’s open public hearing of the Senate committee on justice.
“During the executive session, I mentioned a particular incident, sometime on Nov. 29, 2013 wherein intelligence officers of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office conducted an anti-drug operation in Lakeshore, Mexico, Pampanga,” Magalong said.
He added that Albayalde was the provincial director during that time.
Magalong also said that then PNP chief Alan Purisima ordered the investigation on the antidrug operation after receiving information that several intelligence officers of the police provincial office suddenly acquired new sports utility vehicles.
“Benjie, imbestigahan mo nga ito. Just recently, nagkaroon ng operasyon itong mga bata sa Pampanga. Meron silang nakuhang 30 plus na kilos ng shabu pero bigla silang nagkaroon ng magagandang sasakyan sabay-sabay,” he recalled Purisima as saying.
Magalong added that his probe revealed that the cops seized some 200 kilos of shabu during the raid but only 38 kilos were declared. The missing 160 kilos of shabu allegedly kept by the cops was valued at around P648 million.
The former CIDG head also said that witnesses told him there was so much shabu seized in the operation that it took four people to carry an oversized luggage full of drugs outside the house.
The police team also made off with an estimated P10 million seized during the drug raid, which targeted Chinese national Johnson Lee, who was let go by the police for P50 million.
Aside from Albayalde, Magalong also mentioned Sr. Insp. Joven de Guzman Jr., SPO1 Jules Maniago, SPO1 Ronald Santos, SPO1 Donald Roque, SPO1 Rommel Dital, SPO1 Alsindor Tinio, PO3 Dindo Dizon, PO3 Gilbert De Vera, PO3 Romeo Guerrero, PO2 Anthony Loleng Lacsamana, SPO1 Eligio Valeroso, and SPO1 Dante Dizon as “ninja cops.”
Magalong said that then Region 3 Police director Raul Petrasanta filed cases against those who conducted the drug raid but he said the case was too weak that he requested the official to withdraw the case.
Albayalde, who was present during the Senate inquiry, maintained his innocence amid allegations he had a hand into the “agaw-bato” scheme.
“I have endeavored to prove that I am worthy of the confidence reposed upon me by the President. I still endeavor to do so today,” Albayalde said./PN
