Rep. Ace Barbers during the 9th House QuadComm hearing on Tuesday looked into the presence of "ninja cops" within different areas in the Philippines. During ex-Pres. Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, 'ninja cops' were infamous for allegedly using recycled seized illegal drugs as planted evidence.
In response to Rep. Barbers, former NAPOLCOM Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo elaborated on the different types of rogue officers. "Ninja cops," "ninja liit," "vault in, and "bangketa" were the examples he mentioned.
In response to Rep. Barbers, former NAPOLCOM Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo elaborated on the different types of rogue officers. "Ninja cops," "ninja liit," "vault in, and "bangketa" were the examples he mentioned.
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00:00What about ninja cops? How many cops have you identified and considered as ninja cops in the area where you used to be assigned?
00:12Well, the original ninja cops, what we call the original ninja cops, they are less than 10, Mr. Chair.
00:20So, for example, in Moriones, you were assigned to Moriones. Would you still remember how many policemen were there in Moriones?
00:30I think during that time, we have 300 plus policemen, Mr. Chair.
00:36And out of 300, Colonel Leonardo, how many are considered to be ninja cops in that particular assignment of yours?
00:43So far, Mr. Chair, in Tondo, there were no ninja cops assigned there, Mr. Chair. I only identified those who were less than 10.
00:57So you did not identify any ninja cops in Moriones, in Tondo?
01:02There were none, Mr. Chair. The original ninja cops, I'm referring to the original ninja cops, Mr. Chair.
01:09Can you educate me, what do you mean by original ninja cops? Are there hybrid ninja cops? Are there fake ninja cops?
01:22These ninja cops are batches that came from Manila Police District.
01:35And then they started, at first, doing some cotton cops.
01:42They will arrest people and they would plant some evidence so that they can mark them with an amount that a victim could afford to give to them.
02:04So in the area where you were assigned, the planting of evidence was prevalent?
02:12During my time, Mr. Chair, I think it already evolved into a bigger type of operation, Mr. Chair, by the ninja cops.
02:28So these are the scalawags, right? What about those who recycle drugs?
02:34They will arrest the evidence, hide half of it, and recycle it back on the streets. Did you identify anyone like that?
02:44Actually, through intelligence operations, we identified a lot, Mr. Chair.
02:50Did you file a case?
02:51I believe there are a lot of cases in the region, Mr. Chair.
02:55And these are the cops that recycle drugs? These are the ninja cops?
03:01That's right, Mr. Chair. And there are also small ninja cops, bolt-in, banketa group, and other groups that almost comply with the ninja cops, Mr. Chair.
03:14So there are a lot of systems in the work of the scalawags?
03:21Prior to 2016, Mr. Chair, there were a lot.
03:25So what you mentioned earlier, ninja cops, these are the ones who recycle drugs. They will arrest and recycle. What about the other one you mentioned?
03:35The small ninja?
03:37The small ninja. What are the small ninja?
03:39These are a group of rogue policemen that tend to follow the modus of the ninja cops.
03:53And they were able to learn from the ninja cops, the original ninja cops.
03:56And since the ninja cops are aiming for a bigger haul, like for example, 5 kilos up is the target of the ninja cops.
04:04So those 1 to 2 kilos, they won't really arrest that.
04:12But these small ninja, they will catch the small ones. That's why they are called small ninja.
04:21According to our intel research, Mr. Chair.
04:23Okay. What about the other one? So there are ninja cops, small ninja. What are the others?
04:29There are also...
04:31The one you mentioned earlier, banketa. What do you mean by banketa cops?
04:35These banketa groups, they are policemen who will conduct an anti-illegal drug operation, but will negotiate those arrested outside the office.
04:50These are the ones that are bribed. If someone is arrested, bribed, there is evidence, the suspect will negotiate.
04:59They will ask for money. If they are paid money, they will be arrested.
05:03That's right, Mr. Chair.
05:05They will hide the evidence.
05:07That's right, Mr. Chair.
05:09So those are the banketa cops. So there are ninja cops, small ninja. There are banketa cops. What are the others?
05:14There are also what we call bolt-in.
05:17Bolt-in.
05:19It's almost the same.
05:21If they get information that there is a target of drug personalities that they will catch, then these will bolt-in.
05:31Usually, they are also like that. They will also badge.
05:35Then they will conduct the operation.
05:38Again, each office does not know about this.
05:40Again, each office does not know about this, Mr. Chair.
05:44So in other words, Colonel, what you mean to say is, in spite of the fact that there was a strict order on the implementation of war on drugs,
05:55there are still many kinds of scoundrels in the PNP who are not afraid of the order to implement war on drugs? Is that understanding correct?
06:07Everything I'm saying is before 2016 July.
06:13When war on drugs happened, all of those were gone, Mr. Chair.
06:18So it means that these different types of scoundrels in the PNP were gone when war on drugs was implemented in 2016?
06:32Yes, the PNP ensured that they will be covered in the operations of double barrel, Mr. Chair.
06:42Okay. The double barrel was implemented, right?
06:45The police who were killed, were they the so-called Ninja Cops, Ninja Lit, Banketa Cops?
06:57Were they the police who were killed?
07:00Were they part of the group of scoundrels you mentioned?
07:06Regarding that, Mr. Chair, I don't have personal knowledge.
07:13I wouldn't know, Mr. Chair, because the region is the one in charge of implementing the plan of double barrel, Mr. Chair.
07:25Okay. Thank you, Colonel Leonardo.