‘Ninja cops, informants declaring only 30% of drug hauls’

“Ninja cops” and their informants declare only 30 percent of a drug haul then recycle and convert the rest of the confiscated items into cash, according to Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

Ninja cops pertain to police operatives involved in the resale of confiscated prohibited drugs.

Barbers, who chairs the House committee on dangerous drugs, yesterday said this is part of the initial findings of his panel now investigating the “recycling” of illegal drugs confiscated by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

He said there is an “unwritten and discreet policy by rogue anti-drug agents” to keep 70 percent of every drug haul as “savings” and then resell them to make money.

In an executive session last Tuesday, an “asset” of the PNP and PDEA told the panel that such a practice has been going on for 20 years or since he started providing the agency tips on the illegal drug trade.

Barbers said his panel would craft new laws or amend the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act to “strengthen it further and plug the loopholes and flaws of the law.”

30% clarified

Meanwhile, PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo sang a different tune over his claim of a prevailing trend in the agency that an asset demanded a 30 percent cut of confiscated drugs as a reward.

“We can find answers to many lingering questions on the alleged dreadful practice of drug recycling, including the presumed 30 percent cut on seized illegal drugs as a reward for informants in exchange for every piece of information. I acted in good faith when I brought to light the reprehensible tipsters, seeing confiscated drugs as a reward. But I have never imagined that my sincere intention will be misunderstood,” Lazo added.

He said he was only relaying his personal experience about his encounter with some informants. “I want to make it clear that their proposals were rejected, outright.”

Former PDEA chiefs Isidro Lapeña, Aaron Aquino and Wilkins Villanueva denied giving a 30 percent cut of seized shabu to an informant.

Brig Gen. Romeo Caramat admitted that he also received a similar offer but turned it down.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, chairman of the committee on dangerous drugs, said neither PDEA nor the police would agree to such a thing, but Lazo should also have due diligence to get information, especially if the informant came to him asking for a 30 percent cut of the seized drugs.

Contempt

Meanwhile, a Senate panel cited in contempt two policemen who were initially considered “heroes” in the seizure of 996 kilos of shabu worth about P13.6 billion in Tondo, Manila in October last year.

Dela Rosa said Senior Master Sgt. Jerwin Rebosora and Police Master Sgt. Lawrence Catarata were cited in contempt for “fooling” him during the public hearing.

Rebosora and Catarata were supposed to be among the resource persons in the arrest of Police Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo Jr., who was allegedly found in possession of 996 kilos of shabu worth P13.6 million, various identification cards, a sports utility vehicle and service firearm.

However, video footage showed the shabu seized from Mayo was allegedly pilfered by the two police officers.

“It’s a ton of illegal drugs that was confiscated. We thought you were the hero, Mayo was the villain. It turned out you stole 42 kilos. What do you call yourself? What’s that called? You are worse than…,” said the senator, who held his head in an expression of frustration.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo manifested that the police officers should be cited in contempt for giving the committee conflicting statements.

“Do we still want to contempt them so they could taste detention?” said Tulfo, who made a motion. “You arrested the small ones, this is a big one, a whale, compared to the small fish that they caught.”

Dela Rosa banged the gavel as he ruled on the contempt of the police officers. “With a heavy heart, I want to cry as to why this has to happen. Rebosora and Catarata are hereby cited in contempt and detained at the Senate premises. You cannot leave the Senate premises.”

He said Catarata, Rebosora and another police officer – a certain Jimenez – were caught on CCTV pilfering seized shabu, but the first two policemen denied it was them. Jimenez has resigned from the service.

The senator said Catarata and Rebosora were also seen on CCTV leaving the vehicle containing the shabu near a gate of Camp Crame.

“In short, they are lying through their teeth, falsely testifying to the committee. So Sen. Tulfo made a motion to cite them in contempt,” he told reporters.

Catarata and Rebosora were turned over to the Senate sergeant-at-arms for custody until they are charged in court and transferred to a regular jail. — Cecille Suerte Felipe