He believes the PNP action was spurred by his revelation of the existence of the so-called ‘ninja cops’.

A “surprise witness” may make his appearance before the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights at 10 a.m. today and is expected to spill the beans on police involvement in the illegal drug trade.

A Daily Tribune source disclosed the expected attendance by the new witness although senators begged off from confirming the identity of the invited resource person, whose name was not included in the official roster of guests.

But the source bared he may hold the key not only to the identities of the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who are engaged and are protecting the illegal drug activities of persons in uniform, some of whom are highly-ranked and are in active service.

“It is anticipated that he will tell all,” the source said.

This as Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief director general Aaron Aquino on Monday disclosed that his life and those of his family members are at risk following the recall of their escorts by the PNP.

He believes the PNP action was spurred by his revelation of the existence of the so-called “ninja cops” — policemen who pilfer seized illegal drugs from suspects to resell the contraband to other dealers — during the Senate hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law.

Aquino supported the statement of former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong that rogue cops have infested the PNP, leading to the disclosure of several witnesses about the “ninja cops,” which the police leadership could not admit or is seemingly unaware of.

During the disclosure made during an executive session called by the senators, Magalong mentioned the identity of a “ranking PNP official” who supposedly turned a blind eye on the activities of the “ninja cops.”

Opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon shared that Magalong’s statement had pointed to a top PNP official as only having shuffled his men involved in the nefarious activity of drug recycling but were never admonished nor penalized.

It was later hinted that the top official mentioned is now PNP Gen. Oscar Albayalde, whom Malacañang quickly cleared of involvement in the recycling of drugs by rogue PNP men.

But the revelations created a big fissure between the PNP and the PDEA.

Aquino revealed that his 15 police escorts have been recalled by the PNP. The PDEA chief said his escorts, as claimed by the PNP, are to be utilized to beef up security for the SEA Games in November.

Asked for verification, PNP spokesman Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac confirmed that Aquino’s security detail was indeed pulled out.

Banac clarified that police personnel from Central Luzon who had been assigned to government officials have also been recalled.

The PDEA chief, however, appealed to Police Brig. Gen. Joel Coronel for the restoration of his security detail. He claimed to have received many death threats.

“I asked him, because I receive many death threats, and I can’t move if they recall my security. They did not listen. In spite of that, they asked my men to explain why they were not reporting,” Aquino said.

He also stressed that he had discussed the matter with President Rodrigo Duterte last Wednesday. The Chief Executive, he said, gave verbal instructions to reinstate his police escorts.

“I don’t know if the President was aware. He seemed puzzled why my security detail was recalled,” Aquino said. “I told my men to pull out without notice because there was already a verbal instruction from the President. They’re now with me. But I told them to leave because they were not being allowed to go back to me.”

The PDEA chief claimed other security details had been allowed to return to their VIP assignments after an accounting was made by the PNP.

“Mine were given different duty assignments despite appeals to the Regional Director of PRO 3 due to the high risk brought about by my death threats and those of my family,” he said.

PNP chief Police Gen. Oscar Albayalde was quoted in news reports as saying that he ordered a temporary four-member security detail for Aquino, adding that the recall of Aquino’s security escorts is related to the PDEA chief’s testimony before senators that some corrupt police officers have been recycling seized drugs.

Albayalde, in an ambush interview at Camp Mariano Castaneda in Cavite where he attended the transfer of the PNP Academy from the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) to the police force, also clarified the PNP did not “single out” Aquino with the decision.

“It’s just a coincidence because of the SEA Games,” Albayalde said, pointing out that the biennial sporting conclave is to be held in Region 3 where members of Aquino’s security detail were originally assigned.

Albayalde also clarified that the withdrawal of Aquino’s security is “temporary.” He said the PDEA chief can retain four of the 15 security personnel assigned to him.

“In fairness, this has nothing to do with his claims, especially that when he said (rogue cops dealing with drugs) are rampant,” Albayalde said.

The Police chief said it is “not normal for government officials to have 15 men for his security detail.”

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is scheduled to hold an inquiry on the “ninja cops” today, with Albayalde among the resource persons invited.

Sen. Richard Gordon said the panel has evidence on the involvement of policemen through a paper trail.

The President had been furnished with the names of the “ninja cops.” But Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said Mr. Duterte will only reveal the content of the roster when he returns from his official trip to Russia on 5 October.

Gordon had earlier claimed the “ninja cops” issue was meant as a diversionary tactic to cover for the various messes created by the GCTA, which the Senate panels have found to have been besmirched with anomalies.

The GCTA was offered for sale by Bureau of Corrections officials and had happened under the nose of sacked BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon.

During the course of investigation, a certain Guia Gomez-Castro, a barangay official in Manila, was named as the prime buyer of the recycled drugs from inmates and recently arrested suspects.

It was at this point when the issue about the “ninja cops” surfaced.

Aquino was questioned by the PNP leadership over his motive in raising the “ninja cops” topic while the GCTA was still being probed.