Senators mulling amending PNP law amid 'ninja cops' issue —Sotto

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday said they are mulling amending the Philippine National Police (PNP) law amid the downgrading of the punishment for 13 former Pampanga police officers accused of recycling seized illegal drugs.

"'Yun ang pinag-aaralan namin ngayon sapagkat kahapon pa lang sinasabi ko na sa mga kasama ko, lalo na kay Senator [Panfilo] Lacson na dating PNP chief, kailangan amendahan na natin ang PNP law. Nandun ‘yung mga administrative na kaso nila, bukod sa Republic Act 9165, kung droga ang pinag- uusapan," Sotto said in an interview on Balitanghali.

He added that the drug recycling incident that supposedly took place in November 2013 should be a wake up call to the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM).

"Wala sa kasalukuyan [ang nagpaparusa sa mga nagda-downgrade deliberately ng kaso]. As I said, wake up call sa NAPOLCOM at dapat siguro kami na mismo, pag-aralan na ang amendments sa PNP law," he said.

He added those who filed the case against the 13 police officers should also be probed.

“Ang nakakainis lang kinasuhan nila ng violation Section 21 ng RA 9165, dapat ang charge nila ‘yung Sec 27. Napakahina ng Section 21, custody lang ng ebidensya ‘yun e. ‘Yun ang problema dun, talagang hihina sa korte pag yun ang isinampa,” he said.

Section 21 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, authored by Sotto, is about the custody and disposition of confiscated, seized, and/or surrendered dangerous drugs, plant sources of dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals, instruments/paraphernalia and/or laboratory equipment.

On the other hand, Section 29 of the law is about the criminal liability of a public officer or employee for misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for the confiscated, seized or surrendered dangerous drugs, plant sources of dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals, instruments/paraphernalia and/or laboratory equipment including the proceeds or properties obtained from the unlawful act committed.

"Sa palagay ko ito ang pinakamahalagang pagkakataon ni [PNP chief Police General Oscar) Albayade para ipakita na wala siyang kinalaman directly sa usapin na yan. Hindi lang yung 13, pati yung nagdowngrade at bakit ‘yun lang ang pinayl na kaso at dinowngrade, bakit naging demotion na lang,” he said.

"'Yung Section 27 binalewala nila e yun ang pinakamatindi, para silang nag-drug trafficking nun dahil yung kanilang nahuli ay tinago nila," he said.

Albayalde was the Pampanga provincial director when the controversial buy-bust operation was conducted by 13 of his men led by Major Rodney Balayo.

The police officers reported that they seized 36 kilos of shabu but an investigation conducted by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group showed that 200 kilos were actually confiscated.

Then Region 3 police chief Raul Petrasanta ordered the dismissal of the 13 police officers but it was downgraded to demotion by one rank later.

Sotto said he believes that Albayalde has no prior knowledge of the operation planned by his men, but said Albayalde should have started questioning them when the evidence were presented to him.

"Nagsimula ‘yan na hindi sila bumusina sa provincial director nila, malamang hindi alam ni Gen. Albayalde ‘yun. Pero nung dinala na at nag-report na sa kanila, gumawa ng spot report at lahat dapat nagduda siya, yun ang problema niya," he said.

The Senate President said there would be more investigations on similar issues as they are continuously receiving information.

“Meron pa. Ang mabigat kasi dito habang nangayayri ito sunod-sunod ang  dumadating sa amin na impormasyon tungkol sa ibang mga kaso, baka manganak pa," he said. —KBK, GMA News