Guevarra creates panel to reinvestigate ‘ninja cops’

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has created a three-member panel of prosecutors that will reinvestigate 13 police officers who conducted a drug sting in Pampanga during which over 160 kilograms of shabu went missing and the officers allegedly got brand new SUVs soon after.

The panel is composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Alexander Suares and Assistant State Prosecutors Josie Christina Dugay and Gino Paulo Santiago.

“The Special Panel of Prosecutors is hereby authorized to reinvestigate and receive additional evidence in the case,” read the department order issued by Guevarra on Monday.

The case involves Police Maj. Rodney Baloyo, who led the operation, and 12 other officers.

The panel has been directed to immediately conduct hearings and resolve the case within 30 days.

“If warranted by the evidence, the Special Panel of Prosecutors is further directed to file the corresponding information before the appropriate court,” the order stated.

Aside from the missing shabu, the so-called ninja cops allegedly received P50-million in exchange for the freedom of alleged Chinese drug trafficker Johnson Lee.

The case against Baloyo and the other officers — for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 specifically for violation of Section 27 (misappropriation), Section 29 (planting) and Section 32 (custody and disposition) — were all previously dismissed by the DOJ.

/atm