The Senate Blue Ribbon and Justice and Human Rights committees rejected a request to transfer custody of “ninja cop” P/Supt Rodney Raymundo Juico Baloyo IV from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to the BJMP-San Fernando City District Jail in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of both committees, said it was the committees’ collective decision for Baloyo to stay at the NBP for commitment and continued detention instead of being transferred to the San Fernando City district jail.
“He (Baloyo) has committed an offense that has been approved by the committee, almost the whole Senate, which placed him in contempt for being very evasive and changing his answers frequently. He’s been trying to get out of Muntinlupa and the committee is not disposed of, as far as I know, to release him. If it would be up to the determination of this Congress, that will be where we’re headed—he will not be released. At the moment, this is the collective decision,” said Gordon.
Baloyo was cited for contempt during a joint investigation of the Committees on Justice and Human Rights and the Blue Ribbon on the anomalous implementation of Republic Act (RA) 10592 or the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law which veered into other anomalous practices inside the NBP and the so-called “Ninja Cops,” who allegedly resell or recycle illegal drugs seized in their operations.
Baloyo, who was under investigation for a raid he led in Mexico, Pampanga on November 30, 2019 when former Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde was the provincial director, was very evasive and kept changing his answers during the hearing.
In reply to a letter from the NBP’s Reception and Diagnostic Center dated July 13, Gordon pointed out that video conferencing is now allowed for court proceedings, hence, Baloyo could attend via video conferencing.
“The court can do video conferencing, the lawyers can ask the question thru video conferencing, stenographic notes can be taken… The main basis is that he is under contempt and confined to Muntinlupa. If Baloyo will be brought there, it might be difficult to return him here. To avoid that, I consulted SP, and ang pinag-usapan namin video conferencing,” explained Gordon.
The NBP sought Gordon’s permission and authority in connection with the Joint Order and Commitment Orders issued by Hon. Judge Esperanza S. Paglinawan-Rozano seeking the transfer of Baloyo’s custody to the BJMP-San Fernando City District Jail in San Fernando City and to produce him before the court whenever required.
