The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has vowed to release the results of its investigation on the alleged illegal drug links of resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde before he retires on November 8.
The embattled Albayalde is currently in a deep hole after several former police generals implicated him during the recent Senate hearings in the 2013 Pampanga narcotics recycling case which involved 13 of his former subordinates.
Albayalde was then the Pampanga provincial police commander when the incident occurred.
The said 13 police officers known collectively as “ninja cops’’ were accused of stashing some 160 kilograms of their seized shabu from their operation and receiving P50 million from suspected drug dealer Johnson Lee in exchange for his freedom.
To make it appear that the operation was conducted lawfully, the said cops allegedly presented another suspect in place of Lee.
“Ninja cops” refers to police officers who sell their seized drugs back to the streets or use them to plant evidence in future operations for financial gains.
Then National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Albayalde allegedly called up former PNP Region 3 director Aaron Aquino to prevent the dismissal of the said 13 rogue cops.
Aquino who is now the director general of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said during a Senate hearing that Albayalde indeed interceded for the junking of the dismissal order of the said police officers.
Albayalde has denied the charges, admitting that he called Aquino to merely be informed of the status of the case of the 13 cops who were his former subordinates.
The resigned PNP chief maintained that it is normal for fellow generals to call each other saying the families of his former men went to him to make them aware of the status of the case.
Instead of dismissal, the 13 cops were demoted to one rank lower.
To recall, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the investigation on Albayalde’s possible administrative liability for the 2013 drug recycling case in Pampanga involving 13 cops will no longer proceed after he leaves the police force.
Panelo said there will no longer be any investigation once Albayalde leaves public office.
The DILG, which has supervisory authority over the PNP, has been conducting an independent investigation on the case. The result will be submitted by DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año to President Duterte.
Año earlier explained the probe will focus on the operation of the 13 cops and Albayalde’s possible involvement in the alleged 2013 illegal drug trade. (Chito A. Chavez)
