A Senate panel is recommending graft charges against resigned PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde (pictured) and ‘ninja cops’
The Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is recommending graft charges against former Police Chief Oscar Albayalde and 13 Pampanga cops involved in the drug recycling controversy.
The committee also said Albayalde and his men also violated Section 27 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 when Albayalde admitted to then Police General Rudy Lacadin that he only received a “little” from that drug raid.
The anti-drug law offense faces a life imprisonment penalty and fine of up to half a million pesos and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
It was former Police General and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong who provided the “rogue cops” information to the five Senate committees that investigated the controversy.
Magalong’s story was bolstered by the testimonies of Lacadin and Aaron Aquino who now heads the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
“The findings are he is liable to the anti-graft and that will be up to the Ombudsman and the DOJ [Department of Justice]…by reason of seniority, by reason of superiority, his competence. Hindi naman sya aabot na General kung wala syang alam. I think he is liable. Very liable,” Blue Ribbon & Justice Committees chair Sen. Richard Gordon said.
Gordon said Albayalde’s phone calls to Lacadin and Aquino requesting them not to implement the dismissal order of the Pampanga cops was an act of malfeasance and a clear violation to the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.
The offense carried up to fifteen years of imprisonment, confiscation of one’s unexplained wealth and perpetual disqualification from holding any public post.
“Personally, there could be ground to be principal. Because malakas ang loob ng tao nya dahil nandyan sya e…bakit mo pino-proteksyunan ang tao mo hanggang sa ilipat mo sila sa Antipolo hanggang sa ilipat mo sila sa Tagaytay. Ano ang reason dun? Especially now that you are a four-star general?..Four-star general yan. He’s the biggest fish ever,” Gordon said.
He added that the partial preliminary report is supported by Senate President Vicente Sotto III as well as the chamber’s majority and minority blocs.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he sees the Senate committee report as helpful material in the department’s ongoing investigation on rogue cops. (Jasper Camilo)