Senate panel declines release of accused ‘ninja cop’ to attend hearing in Pampanga

FOR BEING EVASIVE Police Maj. Rodney Baloyo suddenly became an “inmate” at the New Bilibid Prison after he was cited for contempt by the Senate justice committee, which is looking into police corruption involving “ninja cops,” or officers who pilfer confiscated illegal drugs. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS (FILE)

MANILA, Philippines — A Senate panel refused to release alleged “ninja cop” Police Maj. Rodney Baloyo from detention at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to appear before a court in Pampanga.

In October last year, Baloyo was cited for contempt and ordered detained by the Senate blue ribbon committee for being “very evasive” during a hearing into the “ninja cops” controversy.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday in a virtual interview, panel chair Senator Richard Gordon said authorities from Pampanga sent a letter to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) regarding a court order stating that Baloyo needs to show up for a trial there.

BuCor then consulted with Gordon’s committee about the request to transfer Baloyo to Pampanga so he could physically testify in court.

“We are being asked by the police authorities in Pampanga to send Maj. Baloyo to Pampanga to appear in court, according to them there’s a court order. Baloyo is from Pampanga and the cases occurred in Pampanga and that he would be in his own element there,” Gordon said.

“But that’s not the point. The point is he has committed an offense that has been approved by the whole committee—almost the whole Senate—that placed him in contempt for being very evasive and changing his answers frequently,” he added.

Gordon said he fears that once transferred to Pampanga, authorities may have a hard time returning Baloyo to the NBP.

“The committee is not disposed of, as far as I know, to release him…He will not leave Muntinlupa,” he further said.

According to Gordon, the Pampanga court could just allow video teleconferencing so that Baloyo would no longer need to leave his cell in the NBP.

“That this is a collective decision of the committee. Pwede namang gawin ng court, payagan yung video conferencing [The court can do that, allow the video conferencing],” he said.

“They have computers in Muntinlupa, they have Wifi. If there’s none, we will provide it. The court could provide it. He doesn’t have to be taken out of Muntinlupa. Besides, there’s a pandemic going on,” he added.

The senator said the Senate has “absolute” authority to designate where and how long a resource person could be detained once cited in contempt.

Baloyo can only be released once the Senate committee submits a “full report” on its investigation, according to Gordon.

“Kaya may power of contempt ang Senado. ‘Pag magsisinungaling, masisira lahat ng imbestigasyon namin diyan. Kaya kailangan talaga pag ‘di ka magsasabi, don’t do the crime if you don’t want to do the time,” he said.

(That’s why the Senate has the power to contempt. If you lie, the investigation will be compromised. That’s why if you refuse to talk, don’t do the crime if you don’t want to do the time.)

The senator also pointed out that if Baloyo refused to answer questions during the “ninja cops” investigation in the Senate, there is little chance the police officer would also give answers in court.

“Kung pupunta siya doon, ano sasabihin ni Baloyo? Eh kung sa amin, ayaw sumagot, lalo na sa court [If ever he proceeds there, what will Baloyo say? If he didn’t answer any questions from us, what more in court],” Gordon said.

Baloyo headed the anti-drug operation in Pampanga in 2013 where he and 12 other Pampanga policemen were charged with grave misconduct and demoted by one rank in 2017.

A draft joint report of the blue ribbon and justice committees, both chaired by Gordon, said the police officials should be charged for allegedly pilfering and reselling 162 kilos of narcotics seized during the 2013 operation. [jpv]