Magalong names 'ninja cops' implicated in drug recycling

Former Criminal Investigation and Detention Group chief and incumbent Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong named on Tuesday the police officers allegedly involved in drug recycling in Pampanga in 2013 and 2014.

During a Senate hearing, Magalong said he was instructed by then Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima in 2013 to investigate police officers in Pampanga who bought expensive cars.

“He (Purisima) received several intelligence reports that police officers of Pampanga have newly acquired SUVs. Sabi niya sa akin, 'Benjie, imbestigahan mo nga ito. Just recently may operation sa Pampanga 30 kilos ng shabu. Biglang nagkaroon ng sasakyan nang sabay-sabay,'” he said.

Magalong said they investigated the following police officials:

• Superintendent Rodney Raymundo Baloyo IV;
• Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman Jr.;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Jules Maniago;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Donald Roque;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Ronald Santos;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Rommel Vital;
• Senor Police Officer 1 Alcindor Tinio;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Eligio Valeroso;
• Police Officer 3 Dindo Dizon;
• Police Officer 3 Gilbert De Vera;
• Police Officer 3 Romeo Guerrero Jr.;
• Police Officer 3 Dante Dizon; and
• Police Officer 2 Anthony Lacsamana

These police officers conducted a buy-bust operation in the afternoon of November 29, 2013 in Woodbridge Subdivision, Lakeshore View, Pampanga, Magalong said.

The 13 were members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office.

Magalong said the police officers reported they only seized 38 kilograms of shabu and some cash and arrested a certain Johnson Lee.

However, he said the investigation and reenactment they conducted showed that some 200 kilograms of shabu were confiscated and that the operation was conducted at 10 in the a.m.

Magalong added Lee was able to escape the buy-bust operation and sought help from barangay officials.

However, the barangay officials got suspicious when the Chinese national offered them money to let him go.

The barangay officials then called the police in Mexico, Pampanga who returned Lee to the venue.

Magalong said witnesses also said it was not Lee whom the team of Baloyo presented during a media briefing but a certain Ding Wenkun.

He further said the witnesses also told them that the shabu were placed in an oversized luggage being carried by at least four people.

The witnesses also said one box of cash was also taken from the house.

“‘Yung witnesses sabi sa sobrang dami ng shabu na nakumpisa, halos apat na tao ang nagbubuhat sa oversized na maleta. Pati ‘yung shabu tumutulo pa. Nu'ng pumasok siya, kitang-kita nakakalat pa ang shabu sa hagdan. It shows there was no proper handling of evidence, according to our witnesses. May dala pang isang box ng pera na palabas na dinadala sa sasakyan at ito ay puno rin,” he said.

“When (then Chief Superintendent Raul) Petrasanta, then Region 3 police director, found out, he immediately relieved (then Senior Superintendent Oscar) Albayade. He immediately conducted an investigation and filed a case against the team of Baloyo,” Magalong added.

He said they found out that after the incident, illegal drugs became rampant in Pampanga.

“We were able to establish na around 200 kilos ang nakuha. Ang price noon P5,500 to P6,000 per gram. We found out na bumaha ang drugs sa Pamapanga at bumagsak ang presyo ng shabu sa P4,000 per gram o P4 million per kilogram,” he said.

Magalong said they also found out that Lee paid P50 million for his freedom. The police could not say where Lee is now.

He said criminal charges have been filed against the 13 police officers but he does not know what happened to the cases until he retired in 2016. 

Magalong said in November 2014, Petrasanta ordered the dismissal of the 13 for grave misconduct. However, the order was not implemented.

In 2017, Region 3 police chief Amador Corpuz signed an order demoting the 13 by one rank.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said the Department of Justice, in a month, will resolve the pending review on the resolution which demoted the 13 police officers. —KG, GMA News