The Senate will defer to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to publicly disclose the name of ‘ninja cops’ (Albert Alcain / Presidential Photo)
Sen. Richard Gordon, Blue Ribbon and Justice Committees chair said President Rodrigo Duterte, not the Senate, would name the policemen said to be involved in the illegal drug trade.
The so-called “ninja cops” are police officers who recycle confiscated drugs with convicted drug lords in the custody of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Gordon said, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go had conveyed to him the President’s interest in seeing the list.
The names were forwarded to the Senate by former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head, and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, during an executive session of the Senate hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) fiasco at the BuCor.
“Naglabas ako ng committee resolution para pirmahan yun ng dalawang committee. Ayaw ko namang disrespetuhin ang mga kasama ko. Para sigurado and then ipapadala ko na kay Senador Bong Go kung papayag sya or kay presidente mismo. Pagka binigay namin sa kanya then I can disclose pero hahayaan ko muna s’yang magsalita,” Gordon said referring to the president.
Gordon said at least twelve senior police officers named had links to the illegal drug trade.
He denied ever naming National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde as among those in the list.
Senator Go said the President wanted to compare the report given to him by the intelligence community and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to what was gathered by the Senate.
“Bina-validate na nya at maaring pwede na syang magsalita anytime. Gustong-gustong i-announce ng pangulo. Kung totoo talaga yang ninja cops na yan kaya magbibigay po ng reward si Pangulo. Dead or alive sa ninja cops. P1M pag dead, P500k lang pag alive” Sen. Bong Go said.
For Go, erring cops should be shown no mercy.
“Bastos yan e. yan ang sinasabi kong gumagawa ng ganun. Yawa yan eh. Yawa,” Go said.
Senators meantime lashed out at the Philippine National Police (PNP) for cautioning them from unmasking cops linked to the drug trade.
“I take exception to that statement by the PNP that we should exercise due diligence. Bakit tagatanggap lang kami ng impormasyon? Ayaw nila ng impormasyon na natangap namin? Bakit kami sisisishin nila. Anong due process? We’re not the courts, we’re not trying anyone were just receiving the information,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.
“It’s our call. Why would they not welcome it when the Senate in effect would be helping them identify the rogues in their ranks,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa said Albayalde was in favor of disclosing the names of the rogue cops.
“Mas gusto nya dahil hindi niya alam how to defend himself kung puro speculations lang ang nakakarating sa inyo. Galit siya kasi ni-rehash daw yun isyu na yan na matagal nang nangyari,” he said.
In his courtesy call to senators on Wednesday, newly appointed BuCor Director-General Gerald Bantag asked the lawmakers’ support for his leadership.
“Ang pinakamalaking challenge po doon ay yung mga personnel mismo. Mahirap pong magsabi ng 95% pero yun po ang assessment ko. Alam nyo na ho yan dahil nung mga nakaraang araw po tadtad sila ng anomaly,” Bantag said.
The Senate will resume its investigation into the alleged corruption at the BuCor on Oct. 1 with or without the president’s disclosure of the identities of the rogue cops. (Jasper Camilo)