Palace reiterates Duterte to wait for Senate, DILG report before acting on Albayalde’s fate

October 10, 2019

Malacanang reiterated on Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte would decide on the fate of embattled Philippine National Police ( PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde after he receives the recommendation by the Senate and the Department of Interior and Local Government, which are  investigating into the so-called ninja cops.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the reiteration despite claim by retired police general Rudy Lacadin during a Senate investigation on Wednesday that Albayalde told him in a phone conversation years ago that he just "only got a little" from the controversial drug raid in Pampanga in 2013.

Asked how the Palace views the latest turn of events in the Senate hearing, Panelo, also chief presidential legal counsel, said, "Nothing. I don't view anything."

"Isn't it that we already said to allow the Senate to investigate? Let them have the findings; let DILG Secretary (Eduardo Ano) investigate and then when there are already the findings and recommendation, the President will act on them," he stressed.

"Unless there is a statement to the contrary, the presumption is it remains the same," he added.

Albayalde has been accused of being a protector of ''ninja cops'', who recycle seized illegal drugs.

In a 2013 anti-drug operation when he was still the chief of police of Pampanga, Albayalde allegedly called Lacadin, then the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deputy director, inquiring about the investigation to be conducted against the provincial cops who were allegedly involved in a questionable drug operation in Mexico town.

During that phone conversation, Lacadin recalled telling Albayalde that if he had nothing to hide, he should fear nothing.

He claimed that Albayalde's reply to him was that he only got little from it.

Lacadin said he did not know if Albayalde was joking that time.

Albayalde, who is set to retire on November 8, denied all allegations against him. Celerina Monte/DMS