(Eagle News)–The joint Senate committee looking into the Good Conduct Time Allowance law resumed its hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 9, with two former high-ranking police officials who probed the irregular 2013 Pampanga raid attending the hearing.
Former Central Luzon command chief Raul Petrasanta, who ordered former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong to hold the probe into the raid conducted by the 13 policemen, and Alan Purisima, then the Philippine National Police chief, were present during the hearing, the ninth so far.
It was Petrasanta who ordered the 13 policemen led by then-Col. Rodney Baloyo dismissed in 2014 based on the results of Magalong’s probe that found the policemen presented only 36 kilograms of the 200 kilograms they seized during the raid, prompting speculations they recycled the illegal substances.
Magalong also found a person different from the suspect seized by the policemen during the raid was not presented to the media.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino, who held the post of Central Luzon regional director as well, revealed PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde called him to urge him not to implement Petrasanta’s order.
Albayalde has admitted calling Aquino, but denied he had influenced him into doing anything.
President Rodrigo Duterte has said he would defer from taking action on the claims against Albayalde and the 13 policemen, who were merely demoted. With a report from Meanne Corvera