Palace: Albayalde still enjoys Duterte's trust

President Rodrigo Duterte still trusts Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde amid allegations that a “high-ranking” official in the organization is protecting cops involved in recycling seized illegal drugs, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Until such time as the President says otherwise, he remains in full trust and confidence of the Commander-in-Chief,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference.

Panelo said the President would not hesitate to fire any police official involved in the illegal drug trade.

“Kahit na sinong kasama, kapag involved, tatanggalin ni Presidente iyon. Hindi lang tatanggalin – may criminal prosecution. Kumbaga, walang sinasanto ang administrasyon ni Presidente. No sacred cow,“ he said.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, told senators in an executive session last week that a high-ranking police official was allegedly protecting his subordinates linked to illegal drugs.

Senator Richard Gordon reportedly gestured showing his four fingers when he was asked about the rank of the police official.

Albayalde, the lone four-star general in the PNP, was relieved as Pampanga police chief in 2014 for command responsibility over the alleged involvement of his men in the narcotics trade. The criminal charges against the policemen were eventually dismissed.

Albayalde will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 in November. —KBK, GMA News