(Eagle News)–New administrative charges have been filed against the 13 policemen behind the irregular drug raid in Pampanga in 2013.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the charges for serious irregularity in the performance of duty for mishandling of confiscated drugs and instruments; dishonesty for making untruthful statements in their affidavits of direct participation; grave misconduct for giving false testimony against the accused and making untruthful statements when they testified under oath during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing; and for grave irregularity in the performance of duty for improper handling and preparation of the buy-bust money in violation of procedural requirements, and for failure to account the confiscated money were filed against the group led by Rodney Baloyo was “in light of new evidence gathered by the Joint DILG-Napolcom Review Committee as well as those that came out during the Senate Investigation.”
Interior spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the complaining witness this time is the Napolcom, “which is vested with competent jurisdiction on the matter, hence, res judicata will not apply.”
The DILG, however, did not find basis to file administrative charges against former Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde.
“Albayalde is liable for command responsibility; that is why he was relieved as Pampanga Provincial Director in 2014. However, since he already relinquished his post as Chief, PNP he can no longer be relieved of his position at this time,” Año said.
Baloyo’s group will remain in restrictive custody.
Año said the summary dismissal proceedings against them can be completed within 45 days.
Former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong said a CIDG probe found Baloyo’s group declared only 30 kilograms of the at least 200 kilograms they seized during the raid in Mexico.
Magalong also said the group switched suspects.
