Former Philippine National Police chief Police Gen. Oscar Albayalde officially retired from the service yesterday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 without the traditional retirement honors.
Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said Albayalde no longer availed himself of the customary honors given to a retiring police officer in recognition of his or her contributions to the organization since it was only “optional.”
“Wala na po tayong retirement honors,” Banac said. “Dahil optional lamang ay hindi na po nag-avail si Gen. Albayalde ng retirement honors,” he added.
Banac said that the retirement honors are usually being held along with the turnover of office ceremony for the new PNP chief.
Albayalde vacated his post on Oct. 14 after he became the center of a Senate investigation on “ninja cops” or policemen involved in the recycling of illegal drugs seized in police operations.
These so-called ninja cops who were Albayalde’s subordinates were involved in an anomalous anti-illegal drugs raid in Pampanga in 2013.
They allegedly recycled some 160 kilograms of seized shabu and freed a suspected drug lord nabbed in the operation in exchange for P50 million.
Since then, Albayalde refused to show up in public or grant media interviews and only made an appearance before the Department of Justice on Nov. 5 to formally request that the charges filed against him be dismissed. (Martin Sadongdong)
