Drilon backs Senate report recommending graft and drug charges against Albayalde.
Published Oct 21, 2019 09:29 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon on Monday said he supports the Senate committee report recommending the filing of graft and drug charges against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde and the 13 police officers involved in the anomalous drug buy-bust in Mexico, Pampanga in 2013.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon
(CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Drilon noted that the Senate blue ribbon committee and the human rights and justice panel, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, was able to obtain sufficient information on the extent of Albayalde’s possible involvement in the drug trade. “I agree with the report recommending graft and drug charges against Gen. Albayalde and the ninja cops,” Drilon said in a text message to reporters. “The Senate investigation yielded substantial evidence to support at least a probable cause or prima facie case to warrant the filing of a criminal case vs Albayalde et al.,” he said. Last Friday, Gordon presented a 27-page report on the “ninja cops” issue or the involvement of police officials in the recycling of illegal drugs confiscated in anti-narcotics operation. The Senate panels recommended that Albayalde and the 13 cops be charged for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act for alleged misappropriation of drugs. Gordon also said that Albayalde, likewise, violated RA No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when he asked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino, who was then the head of Central Luzon police, not to implement the dismissal order on the 13 police officers. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the PNP has included Albayalde in the amended referral complaint it filed before Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento. “Until I see the result, I will reserve comment or judgment on PNP's seriousness in pursuing the case,” Drilon said. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say,” he pointed out. The minority leader also said he agrees with the PNP’s assertion that Albayalde and his men are presumed innocent until proven guilty but hopes those police officers themselves had said the same thing for the thousands of Filipinos who were killed in the Duterte government’s war on drugs. “I agree with the PNP's assertion that Gen. Albayalde et al are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “How I wish, however, that the same principle was applied to the more than 5,000 ‘tokhang’ victims,” he stressed.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon(CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Drilon noted that the Senate blue ribbon committee and the human rights and justice panel, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, was able to obtain sufficient information on the extent of Albayalde’s possible involvement in the drug trade. “I agree with the report recommending graft and drug charges against Gen. Albayalde and the ninja cops,” Drilon said in a text message to reporters. “The Senate investigation yielded substantial evidence to support at least a probable cause or prima facie case to warrant the filing of a criminal case vs Albayalde et al.,” he said. Last Friday, Gordon presented a 27-page report on the “ninja cops” issue or the involvement of police officials in the recycling of illegal drugs confiscated in anti-narcotics operation. The Senate panels recommended that Albayalde and the 13 cops be charged for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act for alleged misappropriation of drugs. Gordon also said that Albayalde, likewise, violated RA No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when he asked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino, who was then the head of Central Luzon police, not to implement the dismissal order on the 13 police officers. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the PNP has included Albayalde in the amended referral complaint it filed before Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento. “Until I see the result, I will reserve comment or judgment on PNP's seriousness in pursuing the case,” Drilon said. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say,” he pointed out. The minority leader also said he agrees with the PNP’s assertion that Albayalde and his men are presumed innocent until proven guilty but hopes those police officers themselves had said the same thing for the thousands of Filipinos who were killed in the Duterte government’s war on drugs. “I agree with the PNP's assertion that Gen. Albayalde et al are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “How I wish, however, that the same principle was applied to the more than 5,000 ‘tokhang’ victims,” he stressed.