80% of Pinoys believe PNP has ‘ninja cops’ – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — About eight in 10 Filipinos believe there are “ninja cops” in the Philippine National Police (PNP), according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The poll, fielded from Dec. 13 to 16 last year, found 78 percent of Filipino adults believe the accusation that there are “ninja cops” among members of the police force, while seven percent said they “do not believe,” for a net belief score of +70.

A ninja cop is a term used to describe a police officer police who allegedly sells illegal drugs they confiscate during legitimate operations. 

The remaining 15 percent were undecided about the matter.

Net belief that there are “ninja cops” was highest in Metro Manila at +77 (83 percent believe, six percent do not believe).

It was followed by balance Luzon at +71 (77 percent believe, six percent do not believe), the Visayas at +69 (77 percent believe, eight percent do not believe) and Mindanao at +65 (75 percent believe, 10 percent do not believe).

The Fourth Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.

The poll also found 50 percent of Filipinos who believe in the accusation that former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde “is a protector of ninja cops,” while 13 percent said they “do not believe,” resulting in a net belief score of +37.

Of the 50 percent who said they believe, 20 percent strongly believe and 30 percent somewhat believe.

Thirty-seven percent were undecided on the matter.

Net belief in the accusation against Albayalde was highest in the Visayas at +43 (56 percent believe, 13 percent do not believe), followed by Metro Manila at +40 (53 percent believe, 13 percent do not believe), balance Luzon at +36 (48 percent believe, 11 percent do not believe), and Mindanao at +33 (48 percent believe, 15 percent do not believe).

Albayalde stepped down from his post in October, just a few weeks before his retirement, after he was accused of protecting his men reportedly involved in pilfering seized drugs in Pampanga in 2013.