Magalong: Albayalde repeatedly lying on his role in ninja cops case

Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde has been repeatedly lying about his involvement on the case of 13 policemen who were found to have mishandled evidence and undervalued confiscated drugs in a 2013 buy-bust in Pampanga, former police officer now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Wednesday. 

Magalong cited that Albayalde, during the deliberation on his promotion to become one star general, did not disclose that he asked then PNP-Region 3 regional director  Aaron Aquino on the status of the dismissal order on his 13 former men. 

Albayalde had also asked Aquino not the implement the dismissal order against the said 13 individuals.

“Sometime in 2016, when we were deliberating on his promotion to one star general, I objected. I requested for him to appear before the board to ask him about this particular incident, wala po siyang ginawa roon kung hindi mag-deny lang na meron siyang alam. In the same manner na kinokonfront siya rito kay General Aquino, klarong-klaro, very relaxed si General Aquino na ito talaga ang sinabi sa akin: not to implement a dismissal. Again, he lied,” Magalong said.

“Ito na naman po na nagsalita si General Lacadin na freely, confidently, ito ang pag-uusap nila. Again, he is denying it. Again, someone here is lying. And I am pretty sure it is not General Lacadin, it is not me, it is not the other officers, but someone else, siya po,” Magalong added, pointing at Albayalde.

Earlier in the Senate probe, Lacadin, former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deputy director for operations, accused Albayalde of benefiting from drug recycling as a result of the drug bust.

According to Lacadin,  Albayalde told him, “kaunti lang naman nakuha ko diyan.”

Albayalde tried to reason out that his promotion was approved by Magalong, but Senator Richard Gordon belied him by showing a document that Magalong only approved Albayalde’s designation as Executive Officer of PNP’s Directorate for Plans.

Still, Albayalde insisted that he did not do anything wrong because ultimately, he had earned majority votes from the board deeming him fit for promotion regardless of the controversy on the 2013 drug bust incident.

“Ang kailangan lang naman po, majority ang nakapirma sa promotion. At si PNP Chief, General Marquez, duly signed my promotion,” Albayalde said.

Magalong, however, countered that Marquez also did not want to promote Albayalde.

“Sa first deliberation, kinwestiyon ko ang promotion [niya]. Second deliberation, wala po ako. Na fast track po iyan,” Magalong said.

“Ayaw niyang (Marquez) pirmahan. Ilang buwan naka-pending. May lumapit lang sa kanya na hindi niya mahindian. Kako, chief, it is your decision,” Magalong added. —LDF, GMA News