The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is set to submit its list of ninja cops to President Rodrigo Duterte.
The anti-drug agency says operations of ninja cops have been spread out in different regions due to alleged protectors who are also members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Following issues on the rampant recycling of illegal drugs, the PDEA bared its evidence room where more than three thousand kilos of illegal drugs worth an estimated P22 billion or roughly US$421 million are kept in custody.
PDEA reiterates the recycling of drugs is not possible after the evidence is turned over to their evidence room and the crime lab of the PNP.
“Again yung pag-recycle ng drugs nangyayari lang yan sa actual operations for ex-service of search warrants or buybust. Kung ano nakalatag sa target area most likely those are subjects for recycle sa droga. Kanya kanyang modus, basically hahatiin ang ibubulsa sa ide-declare. Yung iba halos 80% ang ibinubulsa, at 20% ang ide-declare,” PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said.
According to PDEA, more than 850 members of the PNP are on the President’s drugs watchlist. Less than half are active members with nearly 500 absent without official leave or dismissed from service.
Meanwhile at least 87 have been tagged as ninja cops or police officers involved in the recycling of illegal drugs.
“Out of this 87, 22 na lang ang nasa active service, 65 are already inactive. Hindi naman ibig sabihin inactive ka puputulin mo ang kalakalan sa ilegal na droga, baka mas malala pa nga. Full time drug pusher ka na o drug lord” Aquino said.
The PDEA chief says the ninja cops have expanded their operations to different regions of the country.
“Mahirap maitigil yan hangga’t hindi nahuhuli yung gumagawa nito, meron pang tinatawag na ninja liit. Ninja cops are in terms of bigger operations, drug operations, drug laboratories, drug warehouses, kitchen type, maliit na drug den, mga ninja liit na bumibira doon,” he said.
PDEA says it is also looking into links of ninja cops with drug lords inside the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. (Jasper Camilo)