MANILA, Philippines–For now, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said the under-declared shabu in the 2013 drug raid in Pampanga and the report of a P50-million bribe for the freedom of a drug lord are just “rumors.”
“As to the existence of bribe, the existence of supposed unaccounted, shabu…Wala talagang direct evidence…as of now rumors or estimation lang [There is no direct evidence, just rumors or estimations],” Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Q. Orsos told reporters at the Department of Justice (DOJ) as he stressed on the importance of the investigation being conducted.
The 2013 raid has dragged into the controversy then Pampanga Provincial Police chief, now on terminal leave Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde.
Orsos was at the DOJ to attend the reinvestigation on the case against the 13 police officers involved in the 2013 Pampanga drug raid. The 13 police officers are being reinvestigated for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly on Sections 27 (misappropriation), 29 (planting), and 32 (custody and disposition) that were dismissed in 2017.
The case against the 13 police officers was also previously dismissed.
“Hanggang ngayon hindi pa sya kumpleto,” said Orsos as he mentioned about securing a copy of the Senate’s transcript of stenographic notes as it “is almost complete because there are witnesses who retracted (during the first investigation) but during the Senate hearing they made a different stand.”
Orsos said that testimonies of the witnesses would be their most crucial evidence against the 13 police respondents.
“It was crucial because it will complete the picture of what really happened,” he added. The current CIDG composition has been put to task to complete the investigation on the case and present additional evidence that was lacking when it was first filed at the DOJ.
During the preliminary investigation, Police Major Rodney Raymundo Baloyo IV was a no show. Baloyo is reportedly the leader of the police team in the 2013 raid.
DOJ panel head Senior Associate State Prosecutor (SASP) Alexander Suarez said they wrote to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and asked that Baloyo, who has been cited in contempt by the Senate and was placed in the custody of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), be allowed to attend the proceedings.
But the Senate was reportedly not able to act on their request because of short notice. The DOJ panel of prosecutors only sent out copies of the subpoena for the 13 respondent policemen to attend the hearing last Oct. 9.
Meanwhile, Atty, Donnie Ray Muli, the lawyer of alleged “ninja cops” except for Senior Police Officer 1 Alcindor Tinio, SPO1 Eligio Valeroso, and PO2 Anthony Lacsamana, said they have no intention of submitting additional evidence and would just wait for the CIDG to file their pleading and make the necessary comment.
The DOJ panel, comprised of Suarez, Assistant State Prosecutors (ASPs) Josie Christina Dugay, and Gino Paulo Santiago, gave the CIDG five days to submit its additional evidence and amended or supplemental complaint; and for three of the respondents Tinio, Valeroso, and Lacsamana to submit their additional evidence.
Since the DOJ panel is pressed for time, given only one month to complete its reinvestigation, Suarez informed the CIDG that if it will present witnesses, as part of their additional evidence, they should make sure that the witnesses would attend the hearing.
The panel also told the parties that they would no longer send subpoenas for the next hearing and announced that the next hearing is set on Oct. 21. /muf
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