[Video Courtesy: Senate PRIB]
At the Senate hearing on ‘ninja cops,’ Sen. Lacson questioned the seeming lack of action against the police personnel involved a controversial anti-drug operation in 2013. He also nearly moved to have a police officer cited in contempt for not being forthright.
Related: ‘Masyadong Mahalay’: At the Hearing on Corruption and Recycling of Drugs
QUOTES and NOTES:
* DISMISSAL ORDERS vs ‘NINJA COPS’:
Sen. Lacson asked PDEA chief Aaron Aquino about the delay in implementing the dismissal order for the ‘ninja cops’ in a controversial 2013 operation, when Aquino was heading the Central Luzon regional police. “What took you so long to implement or deliver the service of the dismissal order? It took you less than two years because the date of the decision is Nov 14, 2014. But the copy of the decision was served and received March 2, 2016. Bakit ganoon katagal ang implementation ng dismissal?”
He added: “Kung may kasong ganito kagrabe ang circumstances I would prioritize it; either dismiss it for lack of sufficient evidence, or act outright and resolve the case. Either I modify or dismiss or sustain the dismissal order.”
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* CONTRADICTING TESTIMONIES:
Meanwhile, Sen. Lacson stressed the need for the committee to sort out the contradicting testimonies of Supt. Rodney Raymond Louie Baloyo IV, relieved head of Pampanga police intel branch, and an eyewitness, on the Nov. 29, 2013 operation.
Lacson cited a sworn statement of Ma. Vivian Fontanilla dated May 5, 2014, indicating she noticed something unusual at 10 a.m.; but Baloyo insisted they conducted their operation at 4:30 p.m. “So hindi pa kayo nag-operation may statement na ang witness,” Lacson told Baloyo.
Sen. Lacson also questioned Baloyo’s failure to inform his then superior Oscar Albayalde about their operation involving suspected drug personality Johnson Lee. “Bakit di ka nagpaalam? Do not test our patience. I was about to move to cite you in contempt of this committee so you better be forthright in your answer.”
When Baloyo said he informed Albayalde only after they arrived in the area of the operation because he did not want to be embarrassed, Lacson remarked: “It’s unusual and it’s not believable.”
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