MANILA, Philippines — The 22 so-called ninja cops, or police officers recycling drugs confiscated in buy-busts and raids, have ceased their illegal operations, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.
“Sa nakikita natin ay mukhang tumigil naman na sila sa kanilang mga ilegal na gawain (Based on what we see, it seems they have stopped their illegal activities),” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a press briefing.
He said it is possible that the 22 police officers decided to lay low their crooked acts, especially after the controversy on drug recycling among the police force hogged the headlines in the previous months, eventually leading retired Gen. Oscar Albayalde to vacate his post as PNP chief in October.
Banac said the PNP continues to monitor the activities of these 22 police officers.
“Hindi tayo titigil hanggang hindi natin malinis ang buong hanay ng PNP ng tiwali na mga pulis (We will not stop until we rid our ranks of all erring personnel),” he added.
It was Albayalde himself who announced in September that the PNP is closely monitoring these alleged ninja cops, consisting of three commissioned officers—a police major and two lieutenants—and 19 non-commissioned officers or those with the ranks of patrolman or patrolwoman, to police executive master sergeant.
Just before dawn on Monday, a retired policeman died in a drug buy-bust launched by officers of the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) in Quezon City.
Maj. Robert Reyes, PNP-IMEG spokesperson, said retired Cpl. Tirso Agustin Lactaotao is linked to over 10 more ninja cops, with some of them assigned in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon. He did not disclose, however, if these 10 are among the 22 officers initially being monitored by the PNP.