‘A game-changing day:’ Gordon releases Senate panel report on ‘ninja cops’ probe

MANILA, Philippines — “Today is a game-changing day, hopefully.”

This was how Senator Richard Gordon started his press conference on Friday where he released the first part of the committee report on the alleged recycling of illegal drugs done by rogue cops.

“This is the first time that we’re going to have a blue ribbon (committee) activity that will unmask the operation of the ‘ninja cops,’” he told reporters.

The powerful Senate blue ribbon and the justice and human rights committees, both chaired by Gordon, has been investigating the “ninja cops” controversy, where the name of resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde was brought up.

Albayalde, who attended three hearings on the matter, was accused of intervening with the dismissal case of his subordinates when he was still the provincial director of Pampanga PNP.

Thirteen policemen, who conducted the controversial November 2013 drug sting in Mexico, Pampanga, were charged for allegedly mishandling the evidence confiscated from the said operation.

Amid damaging allegations made by two retired generals against him, Albayalde relinquished his post as the country’s top cop last October 14.

READ: PNP chief steps down amid drug charges 

But Gordon earlier said Albayalde’s early retirement will not exclude him from any accountability.

The senator said the probe into the scandal had gathered enough evidence to prompt the President to order the Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring complaints against Albayalde and the 13 policemen.

“We will release to the public the COMMITTEE REPORT ON NINJA COPS which includes the summary of events, findings, and URGENT RECOMMENDATIONS,” the senator tweeted ahead of his scheduled press conference.

Today is a game-changing day.

We will release to the public the COMMITTEE REPORT ON NINJA COPS which includes the summary of events, findings, and URGENT RECOMMENDATIONS. These will be forwarded to the DOJ and the Ombudsman.

— Richard J. Gordon (@DickGordonDG) October 18, 2019

“These will be forwarded to the DOJ and the Ombudsman,” he added. /jpv