Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Police officers involved in illegal drugs or dubbed as “ninja cops” are returning to Metro Manila, former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief and current Senator Bato Dela Rosa said on Wednesday.
During an interview with Unang Hirit, Dela Rosa pointed to the arrest of M/Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr. from the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), who was included in the historic drug bust with a haul of P6.7 billion worth of crystal methamphetamine or “shabu” last October.
READ: PNP seizes P6.7 billion worth of shabu; Abalos says it’s ‘biggest drug haul to date’
“Yung tao na yan, basta yan, yung tao na yan, 2016, tinapon po natin yan sa Mindanao. Dahil may intelligence report na yan ay ninja cop. Tinapon natin sa Mindanao, nagtaka ako, bakit nakabalik dito sa Metro Manila at ginawa pang intelligence officer ng PDEG, kung saan lumawak pa ang kanyang picture, ang kanyang papel na proliferation ng droga sa bansa,” stated the senator, referring to Mayo.
(That person in 2016, we threw him to Mindanao. I am now wondering why he returned to Metro Manila and was even made an intelligence officer of PDEG, where his picture and his role in the proliferation of drugs in the country widened).
When asked why these ninja cops were not actually removed from their posts when they were caught with drugs, Dela Rosa explained that intelligence reports and the investigation process are different.
“At that point in time, wala pa tayong hawak na matibay na ebidensya para file-an sila ng kaso, kaya ang ginawa natin, tinapon natin sa Mindanao para matanggal sila sa kanilang comfort zone, hindi makakagawa ng, their business, so kung nandun sila sa Mindanao at gumawa ng business, mamatay sila doon, mamatay sila doon kasi babantayan sila ng mga tao doon. Dito sa Manila, nandito ang kanilang sindikato kaya komportable sila gumalaw,” said Dela Rosa.
(At that point in time, we did not have strong evidence to file a case, so what we did was, we threw them to Mindanao to remove them from their comfort zone, they cannot do their business [there], so if they did their business there, they will be killed because other personnel will make sure they will [not do it] there. Here in Manila, their syndicate is here that is why they are comfortable to move.)
Dela Rosa said that he has spoken with Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos about the matter, who was able to assure him that the PNP are working on it. Dela Rosa also praised the current efforts of the police, including the arrest of Mayo.
“Hintay-hintay lang kayong mga ninja cops na masaya ngayon, na bumabalik sa inyong negosyo,” warned Dela Rosa.
(Just you wait, you ninja cops who are happy right now because they are back in business.)
In August, Dela Rosa had already spoken about ninja cops who wanted to return to their post.