By Hannah Torregoza
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday called on the public to spare the police force from innuendos amid allegations on the existing of so-called “ninja cops” who are involved in the recycling confiscated illegal drugs.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde (Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN)
“As head of the police force it is my duty to the country to contribute to the government’s efforts in legislating measures that will improve our criminal justice system,” Albayalde said during the continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the various anomalies in the Bureau of Correction (BuCor) and New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).
“However, as chief PNP, I’m equally compelled to ensure that the police force does not become the subject of innuendos and that the PNP officers are spared from being the subject of a blind item in the media especially on the general allegation of abuse, corruption and involvement in illegal drugs,” Albayalde further told the Senate.
While he admitted that there may be a number of policemen who were reportedly abusive and corrupt and involved in illegal drugs, Albayalde said he strived to sustain the internal cleansing his predecessor initiated in the 17 months he served as PNP chief.
Albayalde took over as PNP Chief after Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa resigned as head of the police force to run for a Senate seat.
“For the last 17 months, since I became chief, I have strived to lead the 190,000 policemen to uphold the positive image of the PNP, by sustaining the internal cleansing program initiated by my predecessor, now a good senator and a now a member of this august body,” the PNP chief said.
“After all, I have always been championing police discipline. And as a police commander, ridding the PNP of rogue policemen had always been my advocacy,” Albayalde said.
The PNP head also said he was proud to report to the people that integrity, monitoring and enforcement among the police force was institutionalized during his time.
He also boasted of encouraging citizens to report erring cops and resulting to the dismissal of PNP members and the filing of criminal cases against them.
“In addition, the overall accomplishments of the PNP under my command are not lack luster. Both in the war against illegal drugs and addressing the problem on cops involved in illegal drugs,” he pointed out.
When he was National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief , Albayalde said he endeavoured to prove that he was worthy of the confidence given him by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I still endeavour to do so today amidst insinuations made against me and cast aspersions against me as PNP chief,” he pointed out.
In Tuesday’s hearing, Albayalde also called on the Senate to make public Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s testimony regarding “ninja cops” which he had previously given during a Senate executive session.
Magalong was the former head of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Later on during the hearing, Magalong testified that Albayalde was the provincial police director when members of the Pampanga police were found guilty for grave misconduct for failure to account for all confiscated evidence seized from a drug sting in Mexico, Pampanga in 2014.