PNP spox denies PMA pressure made Albayalde quit

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday denied the rumor that pressure from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) was one of the reasons why Police General Oscar Albayalde quit from his post as PNP chief.

"Wala naman tayong natatanggap na ulat na may grupo ng dating heneral na umano'y nagbigay ng pressure para magbitiw si General Albayalde. Sa kabilang banda, ang naging dahilan ni General Albayalde ay nangyaring mga serye ng pagdinig at pressure doon sa issue," PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said in an interview.

It was Senator Richard Gordon who bared that a message from a retired general, who supposedly asked Albayalde to resign from his post in order to “Save the PNP,” was passed along through text and online messages.

Banac said he had no idea about the supposed circulating message about Albayalde who belongs to PMA's Sinagtala Class of 1986.

"Maaari namang may mga opinyon of course, maaari din namang may sumang-ayon sa ganitong opinyon. Pero dahil sa labas naman ito ng PNP, hindi naman natin saklaw," Banac said.

Amid the "ninja cops" controversy, Albayalde stepped down from his post as PNP chief on Monday, days before his retirement on November 8.

Albayalde's name was dragged in the questionable Pampanga drug bust operation in 2013 in which his former subordinates allegedly recycled seized illegal drugs.

Albayalde has denied the accusations against him.

Banac, meanwhile, said the whole police force still supports the former chief of the PNP, noting that Albayadle should be given a chance to clear his name.

"Bigyan din siya ng pagkakataon malinis ang kaniyang pangalan. Huwag din muna nating husgahan kaagad habang wala pang konkretong ebidensya na nailalantad laban sa kaniya. Ang lahat ay entitled ng due process under our laws," Banac said. — RSJ, GMA News