MANILA - The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has allowed the alleged leader of the Pampanga "ninja cops" to be transferred to the Angeles City Jail due to "humanitarian" considerations, panel chair Sen. Richard Gordon said Tuesday.

Police Maj. Rodney Raymundo Baloyo IV has been detained in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City since last year after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cited him in contempt for his flip-flopping statements about a 2013 drug raid wherein his men allegedly resold the narcotics nabbed from the operation.

"Humanitarian reason. He’s in a place which is dangerous. May mga tao na malalakas na baka maging kalaban niya," Gordon said in a virtual press conference.

(He might get into a scuffle with powerful people there.)

Baloyo is also a diabetic and has a child with disabilities, the senator said.

"Nung makita ko asawa [ni Baloyo], kinausap ako ng husto... Pumayag naman si SP," he said, referring to Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

(When I met with his wife, she spoke to me... The Senate President agreed to have him transferred.)

Baloyo's transfer papers were given to the Senate sergeant at arms, Gordon said, but noted that he has yet to confirm if the police officer was already brought to Pampanga.

Baloyo led a police team accused of making off with some 160 kilograms of shabu worth around P648 million following an anti-drug operation against alleged Chinese drug lord Johnson Lee.

His team allegedly set Lee free and presented another Chinese, identified in reports as Ding Wengkun, in exchange for P50 million.

Former PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde stepped down from his post earlier than his scheduled retirement last year after he was tagged in the incident. At the time of the controversial raid, he was the cops' chief at the Pampanga police office.

• Senate denies request to transfer alleged 'ninja cop' leader to Pampanga jail

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