The Department of Justice (DoJ) has assigned seven prosecutors who will prosecute Police Major Rodney Baloyo IV and 11 so-called “ninja cops” before the San Fernando City courts for their involvement in the anomalous 2013 anti-illegal drugs operation in Mexico, Pampanga.
DoJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra issued Department Order No. 69 dated Feb. 17 assigning the prosecutors to the case.
Picked were Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva; Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera and Alexander Suarez; Assistant State Prosecutors Josie Christina Dugay, Gino Paolo Santiago, and Ethel Rea Suril; and Associate Prosecution Attorney Alyssa Ana Zapata.
Baloyo and his co-accused are facing before the San Fernando Regional Trial Court Branch 44 charges for violating Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly Section 27, Article 2, for misappropriation, misapplication, or failure to account for the confiscated, seized, and or surrendered dangerous drugs; Section 29, Article 2, planting of evidence; and Section 92, Article 11, delay and bungling in the prosecution of drugs cases; and qualified bribery under the Revised Penal Code.
His co-accused are Police 1st Lt. Joven Bagnot de Guzman Jr.; Police Sergeants Jules Lacap Maniago, Donald Castro Roque, Ronald Bayas Santos, Rommel Muñoz Vital, Alcindor Mangiduyos Tinio, Eligio Dayos Valeroso, and Dante Mercado Dizon; and Police Corporals Dindo Singian Dizon, Gilbert Angeles de Vera, and Romeo Encarnacio Guerrero Jr.
Baloyo was also charged before the court with falsification, while Guerrero and Santos were also charged for violating regulations issued by the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Also facing charges before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities are De Guzman, Guerrero, and Santos for false testimony and perjury charges also against Santos and Guererro. (Jeffrey Damicog)
