Aquino admits Albayalde asked him not to implement dismissal order vs. 13 ‘ninja cops’

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino confirmed Thursday that Philippine National Police chief Police General Oscar Albayalde had called him to ask for the deferment of the implementation of the dismissal order against his former men allegedly involved in drug recycling.

In his statement at the resumption of the Senate hearing, Aquino reiterated that in 2016 Albayalde called him not only to ask for the status of the dismissal order but also to ask him not to implement the order.

“He also added, ‘sir, baka pwedeng ‘wag mo munang i-implement ang order.  I asked him ‘bakit, Oca’ (and Albayalde said)  kasi mga tao ko sila. I told him ‘Oca, ipa-pareview ko ‘yung order at ipapatapon ko ang mga tao mo sa Mindanao,” Aquino said.

Aquino made the pronouncement after former PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong testified in the Senate on Tuesday that Aquino had told him about Albayalde's call.

At the time, Aquino only confirmed that Albayalde called him and asked for the status of the implicated cops but did not categorically say that the latter asked him to defer the dismissal.

‘Ninja cops’

In 2014, then Region 3 police chief Raul Petrasanta ordered the dismissal of 13 Pampanga police officers due to grave misconduct over a questionable drug buy bust in 2013.

These are:

• Superintendent Rodney Raymundo Baloyo IV;
• Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman Jr.;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Jules Maniago;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Donald Roque;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Ronald Santos;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Rommel Vital;
• Senor Police Officer 1 Alcindor Tinio;
• Senior Police Officer 1 Eligio Valeroso;
• Police Officer 3 Dindo Dizon;
• Police Officer 3 Gilbert De Vera;
• Police Officer 3 Romeo Guerrero Jr.;
• Police Officer 3 Dante Dizon; and
• Police Officer 2 Anthony Lacsamana.

They were members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office.

The Pampanga police provincial director then was Albayalde.

The order was served in March 2016 and the concerned police officers filed a motion for reconsideration. Aquino, who was then appointed as Region 3 police director, was supposed to act on the motion and the order.

Aquino said he was not able to act on it.

In 2017, Region 3 police chief Amador Corpuz, a classmate of Albayalde, signed an order demoting the 13 by one rank.

No intention to influence

In Tuesday's hearing, Albayalde admitted before the Senate making the call to Aquino but insisted that he just asked for the status of the dismissal order and had no intention to influence the then regional police chief.

“Yes, I asked for the status, only the status. I could not possibly influence an RD (regional director) or an upper classman,” he said, referring to Aquino who was a year ahead of him at the Philippine Military Academy.

“Of course, I would ask them because people would also be asking me, the fate of their father, the fate of these policemen, it was because I was the former provincial director. It is but normal that families would ask their former boss for the status of these people,” he added.

“But I never asked for a favor.  I was asking for the status that is the very reason why General Aaron here ordered for the review of the case which is I think normal in the process  of PNP.” — MDM, GMA News