Malacañang said yesterday that President Duterte will not spare even Philippine National Police chief Police Gen. Oscar Albayalde if proven that he is included in the list of “ninja” cops divulged by former PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that while he is uncertain if Duterte had received the transcript of the Senate’s executive session, he assured that the President will study the list carefully.
It was reported Duterte will name the ninja cops or police officers who are involved in the recycling of illegal drugs seized in narcotics operations.
“He will read it, he will study it, and he will do something about it,” he said. “This President is a lawyer. Kaming mga abogado, we just don’t open our mouth without studying, without looking at the provisions of the law. Mahirap kasi na mag-prejudge ka,” he added.
However, if it would be proven that Albayalde is involved as a ninja cop, Panelo said that he would get the boot and would be charged criminally.
“Basta si Presidente, walang kamag-anak, walang kaibigan, walang kapartido, basta ‘pag involved ka, you’re fired,” he said. “Kahit na sino’ng kasama. ‘Pag involved, tatanggalin ni Presidente yun. Hindi lang tatanggalin, may criminal prosecution,” Panelo added.
“Walang sinasanto ang administrasyon ni Presidente. No sacred cow, paulit-ulit na sinasabi ni Presidente.”
Until it would be proven, Panelo said that Albayalde enjoys the trust and confidence of the President. “Until such time that the President says otherwise, he remains in full trust and confidence of the commander-in-chief,” he said.
Malacanang said the ninja cop syndicate is now a thing of the past in the PNP but police scalawags involved in illegal drugs remain in the ranks.
Panelo said Albayalde informed Duterte that the ninja cop syndicate has been dismantled during a meeting in Malacanang last Wednesday.
“He updated the President on the status of the drug war. He told him about the so-called ninja cop syndicate and revealed to the President that the ninja cop syndicate is a thing of the past. That happened during the previous years of the previous administration,” Panelo said.
The syndicate was dismantled during the term of PNP chief now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, he added.
Albayalde maintained that operations had been pursued against the remaining scalawags in the police force, according to Panelo.
“What we have are police scalawags. He told the President that he has precisely undertaken measures and operations and those operations yielded 124 policemen killed during entrapment operations and so many policemen arrested,” Panelo said.
Despite the dismantling of the group, Panelo said the government could still run after these ninja cops involved in the syndicate. Albayalde claimed that these ninja cops were either separated from service, retired, or already dead. (Genalyn Kabiling and Argyll Geducos)
