Ninja cops of the Philippine drug war

Ninja cops, or narco cops, is a term that was popularized at the height of the Philippine drug war, which began during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte in 2016. It refers to a label used to refer to police personnel who are alleged to be involved in the illegal drug trade themselves by reselling portion of the contraband seized in anti drug operations.

In 2019, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde became subject of controversy over allegedly protecting "ninja cops" involved in a operation in Mexico, Pampanga, in 2013, a few years before the start of President Duterte's administration.

Background

The "ninja cops" refers to the police officers who were accused of reselling ("recycling") the illegal drugs that they seized during the police operations or protecting people involved in the illegal drug trade.[1]

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde was the center of the controversy who was accused of protecting the so-called "ninja cops" or the corrupt officials.[2]

Cases

2016 transfer of ninja cops to Mindanao

In 2016, upon the assumption of office of Ronald dela Rosa as chief of the Philippine National Police he urged a group of police officers tagged as "Ninja" to surrender with 48 hours. The deadline lapsed which prompted dela Rosa to threaten them to be reassigned to Mindanao. This followed dela Rosa relieving 32 police personnel in Metro Manila an reassigning them to Caraga, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Zamboanga Peninsula.[3] This was in response to intelligence reports that these officers could be ninja cops but they had no enough evidence to file cases against them at the time.[4]

Twelve went into absent without official leave (AWOL) status in October 2022.[5]

2013 Mexico, Pampanga case
Oscar Albayalde, was implicated in the ninja cop controversy of 2019.

On November 29, 2013, twelve police officers, led by Major Rodney Baloyo, conduct a raid on Mexico, Pampanga, and seized 36.68 kg (80.9 lb) of methamphetamine (shabu). Albayalde was the acting police chief of Pampanga at the time of the raid.[6] That operation was supposed to go after Chinese drug lord Johnson Lee, but they evaded the arrest after Lee allegedly paid the police officers a P50 million. Lee currently remains at large and is now wanted by the authorities.[7] Baloyo contradicted the morning police operations, saying that they raided Lee's house at 4:30pm.[8] On November 30, 2013, authorities submitted the illegal drugs that they recovered as a evidence.[6] PNP Chief General Oscar Albayalde was accused of covering-up in the issue.[6]

In a Senate hearing, according to Major Rodney Baloyo, he ordered the Police Officer 2 Anthony Lacsamana to conduct a raid on the area; however, Lacsamana denied Baloyo's claim.[9] Senator Richard Gordon has Baloyo detained at the New Bilibid Prison for "lying" at the hearing.[10] A Senate investigation found out that P648 million worth of seized shabu from the November 2013 raid was not declared by the Pampanga police. Additionally, it was reported that the police officers have earned P50 million from the drug lord's wealth.[11] Former Deputy Director for Operations of the CIDG Gen. Rudy Lacadin revealed that then-Pampanga provincial director Albayalde had received some money from the operation.[12] A memo written by Albayalde sent to the Regional Director on December 2, 2013, stated that Albayalde himself ordered the buy-bust operation in Pampanga, however during the Senate hearing, Albayalde denied the knowledge of the operation.[13]

The Makabayan bloc demanded the immediate resignation of Albayalde from his post and other officials over the implication of the controversy.[14] On October 14, Albayalde eventually resigned as the PNP chief.[15][16] Duterte expressed his disappointment over the issue.[17][18]

On October 21, 2019, The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed a complaint before the Department of Justice against Albayalde and 13 of his personnel, citing a reinvestigation of the alleged recycling of some 162 kilograms of shabu that they seized,[19] while the Senate suggested life imprisonment for the police officers.[18] The PNP said in a statement that the accused "remain innocent until proven guilty."[20]

October 2022 Manila drug raids
Main article: October 2022 Manila drug raids
Seized methamphetamine in Tondo, Manila.

Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) Special Operations Unit-National Capital Region officer Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. was implicated for being involved in the illegal drug trade after the PNP-DEG conducted an anti drug operation on a lending business office in Tondo, Manila.[21] Mayo himself would be arrested.[22]

In December 2022, former PNP chief and Senator Ronald dela Rosa, declared the ninja cops are "back" in Metro Manila citing the October 2022 case. He disclosed that Mayo was among the police officers he reassigned to Mindanao in 2016 for being allegedly a ninja cop. He was perplexed on how Mayo would not only be able to return to Manila but also be assigned as an intelligence officer in the PNP-DEG.[4]

Other incidents

October 2019 – nine police officers in Central Visayas were dismissed from their duties of Police Regional Office 7 after they underwent surprise drug tests. They were allegedly "ninja cops".[23]

See also

References
  1. "PNP now tracking down 12 'ninja cops' transferred in Mindanao". Sunstar. October 13, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  2. "Duterte orders probe on Albayalde over 'ninja cops' allegations". ABS-CBN News. October 4, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  3. Felipe, Cecille Suerte (July 7, 2016). "Bato: More narco cops to be named". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  4. Mangaluz, Jean (December 14, 2022). "Ninja cops are back in Metro Manila — Bato dela Rosa". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  5. "PNP now tracking down 12 'ninja cops' transferred in Mindanao". SunStar. October 13, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  6. "'Spectacle of a grand cover-up': Senate hearing bares how 'ninja cops' remain in service". Rappler. October 2, 2019.
  7. Santos, Elmor (October 1, 2019). "'Ninja cops' freed Chinese drug lord for ₱50 million". CNN Philippines.
  8. "Gordon: Cops 'mishandled' 2013 Pampanga drug raid". CNN Philippines. Police Major Rodney Baloyo, who led the operation, claimed that they raided the suspect's house at 4:30 p.m. on November 29, 2013, contrary to records that said it happened in the morning.
  9. Rey, Aika (October 3, 2019). "Senate detains alleged 'ninja cop' Baloyo in Bilibid". Rappler.
  10. Santos, Elmor (October 3, 2019). "Senate sends 'ninja cop' to Bilibid for 'lying' in probe". CNN Philippines.
  11. SONA: Albayalde, inamin daw na nakatanggap ng pera mula sa 2013 drug operation. 0:46-. "P648 million ang halaga ng mahigit isang-daan kilo ng shabu na hindi raw idineklara ng police Pampanga mula sa operasyon nila sa Woodbrige Subdivision noong November 2013. Bukod pa 'yan sa P50 million na kinita raw na sinasabing 'ninja cops' mula sa pinatubos nilang drug lord."
  12. SONA: Albayalde, inamin daw na nakatanggap ng pera mula sa 2013 drug operation. 1:06-. "Sa muling pagharap sa Senado ni Gen. Rudy Lacadin, dating Deputy Director for Operations ng CIDG na nag-imbestiga sa insidente, binunyag niya sinabi sa kanya ni dating Pampanga provincial director at ngayo'y PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde na may napuntang kaunti kay Albayalde mula sa operasyon."
  13. SONA: Albayalde, inamin daw na nakatanggap ng pera mula sa 2013 drug operation. 2:46-. "Sa memo na pinadala ni Albayalde sa Regional Director noong December 2, 2013 o ilang araw matapos ang operasyon, sinabi niyang siya ang nag-utos ng buy-bust sa bahay sa Woodbrige. Pero sa pagdinig ng Senado, sinabi ni Albayalde na wala siyang alam sa operasyon hanggang matapos ito. (Albayalde speaking) Lumabas din sa pagdinig na pagkatapos patawan ng dismissal order ang mga pulis Pampanga na kasama sa operasyon, inirekomenda ng Board na nag-iimbestiga rito na gawin demotion na lang ang parusa."
  14. Roxas, Pathricia Ann (October 3, 2019). "Makabayan bloc to Albayalde: Resign now". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  15. Merez, Arianne (October 14, 2019). "Albayalde had enough, says Duterte spox". ABS-CBN News.
  16. "Lacson says he has mixed feelings on Albayalde's resignation". GMA News. October 14, 2019.
  17. Gonzales, Cathrine (October 17, 2019). "PNP understands Duterte's 'utmost disappointment' amid 'ninja cops' issue". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  18. Aurelio, Julie; Ramos, Marlon (October 19, 2019). "'Ninja cops' probe: Senate panels recommend life imprisonment for Albayalde". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  19. "Albayalde tagged in Pampanga 'ninja cops' complaint". ABS-CBN News. October 21, 2019.
  20. Talabong, Rambo (October 19, 2019). "PNP: Albayalde, 'ninja cops' innocent until proven guilty". Rappler.
  21. Dalizon, Alfred (October 9, 2022). "PNP-DEG agents seize P6.7B shabu; arrest cop, cohorts – Journal News". Journal News Online. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  22. Doctor, Mel Matther (October 9, 2022). "Police seize over P6.7 billion worth of shabu in Manila". GMA News. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  23. "9 'ninja cops' dismissed". SunStar. October 4, 2019. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021.
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