Drug, graft raps vs Albayalde, ‘ninja cops’ up for resolution—DOJ

MANILA, Philippines—The drugs and graft complaints filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) against former police chief Oscar Albayalde and 13 other so-called “ninja cops” have been submitted for resolution, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Monday.

Albayalde and the other respondents appeared at the 5th preliminary hearing and affirmed their rejoinder-affidavits before Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Alexander Suarez.

With the submission of the respondents’ rejoinder affidavits, state prosecutors will now determine whether they will file the case in court.

Also present in the hearing was Police Major Rodney Baloyo IV who allegedly led the raiding team in the controversial Pampanga drug sting in 2013.

Baloyo’s team reportedly arranged an anti-illegal drug operations against alleged large-scale Korean drug trafficker Johnson Lee in a house he was renting at the Woodbridge Subdivision in Mexico, Pampanga.

But the 13 policemen allegedly released Lee in exchange for 160 kilograms of shabu worth P648 million, P50 million in cash, brand new sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and, in his stead, presented Ding Wengkun as the suspect.

In his 19-page rejoinder, Albayalde, who had resigned as PNP chief due to the issue, maintained his innocence and claimed that the PNP-CIDG had failed to prove that he and the Pampanga policemen have conspired in the fraudulent activity.

“It is fundamental that criminal responsibility is personal and that in the absence of conspiracy, one cannot be held criminally liable for that act or default of another,” Albayalde said.

Albayalde was acting police director of Pampanga and relieved due to command responsibility for the anti-illegal drug operation in the province.

Other respondents in the complaint are Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman Jr., Senior Police Officer 1 Jules Maniago, SPO1 Donald Roque, SPO1 Santos, SPO1 Rommel Muñoz Vital, SPO1 Eligio Valeroso, Police Officer 3 Dindo Dizon, PO3 Gilbert de Vera, PO3 Encarnacion Guerrero Jr., PO2 Anthony Loleng Lacsamana, and PO3 Dante Dizon.

Lawyer Dennis Wagas, who represented the PNP-CIDG in the hearing, expressed confidence that they have established probable cause to indict the respondents.

Edited by MUF