MANILA -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday said that President Rodrigo Duterte might ask the

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to get to the bottom of the so-called “ninja” cops
controversy.

“At the conclusion of this hearing, the President might ask the DILG to investigate and get to the bottom of
this. The truth must come out,” Go said during a Senate hearing on erring cops allegedly involved in the
recycling of seized illegal drugs.

Go, however, assured that the Philippine National Police (PNP) remains committed to reforming itself
amid the controversy.

“In fairness to the PNP, patuloy ang kanilang cleansing, internal cleansing program ng PNP (In fairness to
the PNP, it has been conducting an internal cleansing program),” Go said.

“Nangyari po ito sa nakaraang termino, hindi pa sa termino ni Pangulong Duterte. At, ako naman, nakita
ko naman, napakaseryoso ni Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang ginagawa (This issue happened during the
previous administration, not during the term of President Duterte. And I have witnessed that President
Duterte is serious in what he is doing [to address the problem]),” he added.

Go, however, urged trustworthy police officials not to cover up for the erring ones, or they could risk
wasting the trust given to them by the Filipinos.

“Ako naman pakiusap ko sa PNP, wag nyo pagtakpan. Pag may bulok, ihiwalay nyo na agad para hindi
na madamay ang karamihan (I am urging PNP not to cover up [the persons involved]. Rotten ones should
be immediately removed to prevent spoiling the whole bunch),” he added.

The Senate hearing was conducted after​ retired Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 
chief and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong identified the cops and police officials 
involved in the recycling of illegal drugs in an executive session in the Senate in September. (PNA) 

MANILA -- Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday denied trying to
influence the case against his former subordinates allegedly involved in the recycling of seized illegal
drugs following a buy-bust operation in Pampanga in November 2013.

During a Senate hearing, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino, who was then
the PNP Region 3 director, revealed that Albayalde, who was then the acting head of the National Capital
Region Police Office (NCRPO), called him to ask about the status of the case against the 13 Pampanga
policemen.

Albayalde, who served as Pampanga provincial police chief at the time of the anti-drug raid, was relieved
from his post due to command responsibility.

“There was a time when General Albayalde called me. I cannot recall kung anong (the) specific date but
it's between July and December 2016. Nagtatanong siya ng (He was asking about the) status of the
case,” Aquino said.
“I told him na gusto ko i-review muna yung kaso na yun. Sinabi niya sa akin ‘for the meantime, i-pareview
niyo muna yan and i-pacheck kasi gusto ko malaman kung ano talaga yung magiging result ng
investigation na yan’. (I told him that I wanted to review the case. He told me, ‘for the meantime, review
and check the case because I want to know the result of the investigation),” he added.

Albayalde, for his part, admitted that he inquired Aquino about the status of the case, but denied
influencing or asking for any favor regarding the case against his former men.

"Yes I asked him the status, only the status. I could not possibly influence a regional director or an
upperclass(man),” Albayalde said.

The 13 erring cops were ordered dismissed, but the penalty was reduced to demotion after a motion for
reconsideration was filed on March 14, 2016.

The police officers involved were Superintendent Rodney Raymundo Baloyo, Senior Inspector Joven de
Guzman Jr., Senior Police Officers 1 Jules Maniago, Donald Roque, Ronald Santos, Rommel Vital,
Alcindor Tinio, Eligio Valeroso, Police Officers 3 Dindo Dizon, Gilbert de Vera, Romeo Guerrero Jr., Dante
Dizon, and Police Officer 2 Anthony Lacsamana. (PNA)