(Eagle News)–The police report on the 2013 Pampanga drug raid conducted by the 13 policemen subsequently ordered dismissed was only “full of lies.”
This is according to retired Brigadier General Manuel Gaerlan, who was the deputy director for operations of Central Luzon when the raid led by then-Col. Rodney Baloyo and 12 of his men was conducted.
Gaerlan said he had been tasked by then-Central Luzon police director Raul Petrasanta to check on the supposed accomplishments of Baloyo’s team.
“Yung mga report na sinubmit ng office ni Baloyo through the provincial director, nakarating sa amin sa regional office. Ako na magsasabi na puro kasinungalingan. That was an attempt to cover up..,” Gaerlan said.
During the Senate hearings on the Good Conduct Time Allowance law, Baloyo has maintained the raid took place past 4 p.m.
But Gaerlan said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which, under Benjamin Magalong, also conducted a separate probe into the raid also upon Petrasanta’s order, was right in its estimate the raid took place in the morning, around 10 a.m.
“Hindi nila.matatanggap nila yan na operasyon sa umaga,” Gaerlan said.
He said this was because Baloyo’s group did not seek permission from the provincial director, then Oscar Albayalde who is now the Philippine National Police chief, and did not have a search warrant.
Gaerlan said the group also had belated coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“Four p.m. nalang sila nagkacoordination sa PDEA,” Gaerlan said.
He said after the probe, he concluded there was indeed irregularity in the conduct of the raid, and an administrative probe against Baloyo was formalized.
He said in March 2014, Petrasanta also relieved then-Col. Oscar Albayalde, the Pampanga provincial director at that time.
“Wala po kaming nakalap na ebidensiya o testimony implicating him,” he said of Albayalde.
