MANILA, Philippines — One of the accused in the questionable 2013 Pampanga drug bust has been transferred from the New Bilibid Prison to the San Fernando City Jail in Pampanga.
Even while Police Major Rodney Baloyo IV’s case is still pending in a Pampanga Court, he has already spent a year and a month in Bilibid. Under the rules, only those convicted by the courts are transferred to the national penitentiary.
Bilibid Spokesman Gabriel Chaclag said Baloyo has been properly turned over to the Pampanga jail at 8 in the evening Friday.
On his way, he was escorted by BuCor SWAT personnel, which were well-coordinated with the Philippine National Police and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology authorities, said Chaclag.
Baloyo stayed in Bilibid after he was cited for contempt by the Senate for not telling the truth during the public inquiry over the questionable 2013 drug operations that his team conducted.
He was transferred to the San Fernando City Jail after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee acknowledged the commitment order of the San Fernando Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 44.
Baloyo and 11 former and current policemen are facing charges before the RTC for violating Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly, Section 27, Article II for misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for the confiscated, seized, and/or surrendered dangerous drugs; Section 29, Article II, planting of evidence; and Section 92, Article XI, delay and bungling in the prosecution of drugs cases; and qualified bribery under the Revised Penal Code.
His co-accused are P/Insp. Joven Bagnot De Guzman, Jr.; SPO1 (Senior Police Officer) Jules Lacap Maniago; SPOI Donald Castro Roque; SPO1 Ronald Bayas Santos; SPO1 Rommel Muñoz Vital; SPO1 Alcindor Mangiduyos Tinio; PO3 (Police Officer) Dindo Singian Dizon; PO3 Gilbert Angeles De Vera; PO3 Romeo Encarnacio Guerrero, Jr.; SPO1 Eligio Dayos Valeroso; and SPO1 Dante Mercado Dizon.
Baloyo was also charged before the RTC with falsification, while Guerrero and Santos were also charged for violating regulations issued by the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Baloyo led the 2013 drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga to supposedly arrest a drug trader named Johnson Lee.
However, Baloyo and his alleged cohorts tagged as “ninja cops” allegedly misappropriated drugs and money seized during the operation after they declared seizing 36.60 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu instead of 200 kilograms, and only P300,000 were found instead of P10 million.
They also allegedly failed to declare a Toyota Fortuner that was also seized, and, instead of Johnson Lee, a certain Ding Wenkun was arrested and charged.
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