THE Department of Justice on Wednesday opened the reinvestigation of the complaint lodged against 13 so-called ninja cops allegedly involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs amounting to P648 million in Pampanga six years ago.
During the first day of the preliminary investigation, the DOJ panel of prosecutors gave the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) until October 21 to submit their additional evidence and amended or supplemental complaint against the policemen.
Only Police Major Rodney J. Baloyo IV failed to show up in the proceedings while his 12 co-respondents were present.
Baloyo allegedly led the raiding team, and Senior Police Officer 1 Ronald Santos that seized the illegal drugs.
It was reported that during the 2013 illegal drugs raid 160 kilograms of shabu went missing; and in return for releasing the alleged Chinese drug trafficker Johnson Lee, the policemen were allegedly given a P50 million bribe and new sports utility vehicles (SUVs).
The reinvestigation would focus on their alleged violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly on Sections 27 (misappropriation), 29 (planting), and 32 (custody and disposition) that were dismissed in 2017 .
DOJ panel head Senior Associate State Prosecutor (SASP) Alexander Suarez clarified the absence of Baloyo.
Suarez said they wrote to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and asked that Baloyo be allowed to attend the proceedings but the Senate was not able to act on their request because of short notice.
Other respondents in the complaint are Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman Jr., Senior Police Officer 1 Jules Maniago, SPO1 Donald Roque, SPO1 Santos, SPO1 Rommel Muñoz Vital, SPO1 Eligio Valeroso, Police Officer 3 Dindo Dizon, PO3 Gilbert de Vera, PO3 Encarnacion Guerrero Jr., PO2 Anthony Loleng Lacsamana, and PO3 Dante Dizon.
During the proceedings, the PNP-CIDG asked the panel for a copy of the transcript of stenographic records (TSN) from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on the ninja cops held on October 1, 3 and 9 and requested for a copy.
But the panel said they do not have in their case records the TSN of the Senate investigations on those specific dates.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Orsos, one of the lawyers for CIDG, said securing a copy of the Senate’s TSNs was important because “many revelations” could be gleaned from it.
He said the TSN “is almost complete because there are witnesses who retracted (during the first investigation) but during the Senate hearing they made a different stand.”
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra in October ordered the reopening of the case after former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong, now Baguio City mayor, told the Senate that the 13 cops from Pampanga were involved in a buy-bust operation on November 29, 2013.
It was initially reported that they seized 38 kilograms of illegal drugs and arrested the drug trafficker.
However, further investigation showed they seized about 200 kilos of illegal drugs worth P648 million and about P10 million in cash.
The trafficker also paid them P50 million to present a different person in his place, Mr. Magalong also said.