Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 24) — The Senate has yet to reveal the names of active policemen allegedly involved in illegal drugs trade at the state penitentiary New Bilibid Prison. But the National Police Commission was quick to defend the supposed involvement of PNP Chief General Oscar Albayalde in the controversy.
Senate Blue Ribbon Chairman Richard Gordon was previously asked who the highest ranking police official involved in the illegal drug trade is, and he responded with a clue. He made a gesture showing his four fingers. He made the tease based on revelations during a Senate hearing on September 19 where former PNP-CIDG Chief and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong bared policemen may still be part of the group of Chinese drug lords managing the drug trade while inside Bilibid. Magalong only disclosed the names of the rogue cops to senators during an executive session.
PNP Chief Police General Oscar Albayalde is the only PNP official with a 4-star rank. National Police Commission Vice Chairman Rogelio Casurao volunteered the information about Albayalde’s2014 drug case when the now top cop was still the provincial director of Pampanga police.
“He was relieved administratively and those who were found criminally liable were charged in court. They were subjected to preliminary investigation less of course the name of General Albayalde. Because his relief was more administrative than anything else,” he said in a joint media briefing with PNP and Interior Department.
Albayalde said the controversy is just a recycled issue that he has answered several times. He is also unsure why the issue was revived less than two months before he retires, but he suspected it may be related to internal politics.
“I hope, sabi ko nga, this is not part of the internal politics of our organization. Kasi ito ang isa pang gusto naming matanggal sa PNP. Kayo kasi pino-float niyo na exte-extension,” he said.
Translation: [As I said, I hope this isn’t a part of internal politics, because this is one of the issues we want to eradicate from PNP. You are floating the idea that my term will be extended.]
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino earlier revealed that recycling of seized illegal drugs is still rampant among corrupt law enforcers, also referred to as “ninja cops.”
Meanwhile, Albayalde said the PNP’s campaign to weed-out policemen involved in illegal drugs continues. From the original 87 policemen in President Rodrigo Duterte’s narcolist, 77 were already accounted for. Of which, 22 are still on their watch list.
“Ito po ay isang [This is a] watch list that needs to be validated. We’re not saying that these people are already guilty of information that are being lodged against them,” he said.
