Embattled Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said he leaves his fate in the hands of President Rodrigo Duterte (File photo)
After facing the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for the third time Wednesday, rumors swirled Thursday morning that Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde had quit his post.
Camp Crame was quick to quash the issue and said this was clearly just black propaganda against the embattled PNP chief.
The PNP Public Information Office said Albayalde has no plans to retire early and that he has left his fate in the hands of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Albayalde asserted that there are no hard evidence linking him to the rogue cops, only accusations and baseless innuendos.
General Albayalde added, retired General Rudy Lacadin has a lot of explaining to do and his lawyers are preparing charges against the former police officer.
Lacadin earlier testified at the Senate that Albayalde called him in 2014 and admitted that he profited from a controversial 2013 drug raid in Pampanga.
During the same hearing, Lacadin admitted he did not include Albayalde in any of the subsequent charge sheets nor tell his bosses about it.
Albayalde vehemently denied making the call.
Malacañang confirmed that President Duterte did not ask Albayalde to quit his post.
“Wala, wala akong narinig,” Palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.
Sen. Richard Gordon said circumstantial evidence gathered at the hearings may be enough to pin the blame on the PNP chief even in the absence of concrete evidence against him.
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also agreed with Gordon citing additional testimonies during Wednesday’s hearing.
Drilon explained that there was no concrete evidence that Albayalde benefited from the recycling of drugs. However, the senator is convinced that Albayalde attempted to cover up and covered up the incident to protect those involved.
The National Police Commission started its own investigation into the ninja cops controversy.
The Department of Justice for its part subpoenaed the 13 police officers involved in the 2013 Pampanga drug raid as part of an automatic review on the cases the DOJ dismissed against them in 2017.
Meanwhile, a major reshuffling in the PNP involved Albayalde’s possible replacements.
The PNP chief confirmed that Region 7 chief Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas is the next chief of the National Capital Region Police Office.
He replaces Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar who is the PNP’S new Chief Of Directorial Staff, the fourth highest position in the police force.
The PNP’s current number 3, Police Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa replaces soon-to-be-retired Lt. Gen. Fernando Mendez the current Deputy Chief for Administration or the second highest post in the PNP while Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan replaces Gamboa as Deputy Chief PNP for Operations.
Gamboa, Cascolan, and Eleazar are considered as front runners to succeed Albayalde as PNP chief. (Jasper Camilo)