MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte himself will announce soon the names of police officers involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs, or otherwise known as “ninja cops,” Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said.
In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, Go said that while the President is still consolidating the information and validating the list of names of “ninja cops,” he will personally announce the names of erring cops soon.
“Sabi niya kahapon sa akin na kailangan malaman ng publiko ‘yan and soon I think he will personally announce to the public kung sino yung mga sangkot na ito at importante na si Pangulo ang magsasabi (He told me yesterday that the public needs to know who the ninja cops are and I think he will soon personally announce to the public who are those involved and it is important that the President will make the announcement),” Go said.
“Sabi niya karapatan ng Pilipino malaman kung sino ang mga itong mga ninja cop (He said it is the right of the Filipino people to know who the ninja cops are),” he added.
Go said the President could announce the names of ninja cops within the week.
He added that Duterte will also place a bounty on the heads of the ninja cops, once they are identified.
“Nabanggit niya na nandyan pa rin ‘yung reward na kanyang sinabi noon. P1 million sa mga ninja cops na patay, ‘pag buhay kalahating milyon lang, ‘pag lumaban, P2 million, (He also mentioned that there is still a reward for whoever gives up to the authorities the ninja cops. P1 million for ninja cops who are killed, if alive, only half a million pesos, and if they fought, P2 million),” he said.
He added that the President has already ordered the cross validation of the list of ninja cops, and assured that once Duterte announces the names, it will be “100 percent sure.”
The senator was present during the Senate executive session where Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, a former chief of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), revealed the names of the ninja cops.
However, he refused to tell to the reporters the names that Magalong revealed during the executive session.
READ: Magalong to name ‘Agaw-Bato’ cops in executive session with senators
But should there be effort in the Senate to divulge the information revealed during the executive session, Go said he will support it.
“Why not? Ako pabor ako na sabihin sa publiko. Karapatan ng Pilipino malaman kung sino ‘yung nasa tabi nila (I am in favor of making it in public. The Filipino should know who is on their side),” the senator said.
He said he will also recommend the filing of charges and the dismissal of police officers who will be named as ninja cops. /je
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