DOJ to speed up review of case vs. 13 Pampanga cops

FILE: SENATE HEARING. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra says he is set to issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against nearly 2,000 heinous crimes convicts who were freed early due to the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law. Guevarra was one of the resource persons during the continuation of the Senate inquiry on the controversial implementation of the GCTA law on Thursday (Sept. 5, 2019). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday vowed to expedite the resolution of the automatic review on a case against 13 police officers allegedly involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs following an anti-drug raid in Pampanga in 2013.

In a Senate hearing, Guevarra said the DOJ would come up with a resolution within a month’s time.

“I came to discover that this case has been pending for automatic review arising from this Senate investigation. I have instructed the state prosecutors concerned to expedite the resolution of the automatic review,” Guevarra said.

“I hope that within a month’s time, a resolution will be issued by the Department of Justice one way or another,” he added.

It was revealed during the course of the hearing that the 13 police officers allegedly involved in drug recycling were ordered dismissed but the order was not implemented and was reduced to demotion.

The police officers involved were Superintendent Rodney Raymundo Baloyo, Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman Jr., Senior Police Officers 1 Jules Maniago, Donald Roque, Ronald Santos, Rommel Vital, Alcindor Tinio, Eligio Valeroso, Police Officers 3 Dindo Dizon, Gilbert de Vera, Romeo Guerrero Jr., Dante Dizon, and Police Officer 2 Anthony Lacsamana.