PNP chief berates cop arrested in Muntinlupa buy bust

September 3, 2019

Police General Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday scolded a cop arrested in a buy bust operation in Muntinlupa City Monday night.

"Who are you embarrassing? Yourself or the Philippine National Police?" the  PNP chief asked Patrolman Leo Valdez after he was presented to the media on Tuesday.

A video of Valdez while he was using illegal drugs was shown to the media.

  "That video is viral... what will the people say? That all police are like that? And then you'll get mad because you are being embarrassed?" Albayalde said.

Albayalde even questioned Valdez why he became a policeman when he is a drug addict.

  "Who reinstated you? Why are you assigned at National Operation Center (NOC) when you have a case? Who helped you?" Albayalde said.

Police Colonel Romeo Caramat, director of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group ( IMEG) said Valdez revealed other police officers who are also involved in illegal drugs.

  "Make sure to dismiss him, the soonest. We will make sure that you will be in jail," Albayalde told Valdez and ordered Caramat to arrest his other cohorts. 

  According to IMEG report, Valdez was arrested through a joint operation along PNR (Philippine National Railways) site, Marquez compound in Brgy Putatan, Muntinlupa City around 10 pm after a poseur buyer were able to buy a sachet of suspected shabu amounting to P1,000. 

Authorities also recovered four transparent heat sealed sachets containing suspected shabu.

"The operation stemmed from an intelligence packet developed by IMEG based from various reports on the rampant involvement of subject PNCO in drug pushing and use of shabu in the area," Albayalde said.

Based on their validation Valdez has long been involved in illegal drugs. 

"He entered the PNP service in 2007 but went on AWOL in 2014 due to alleged use of illegal drugs. He was restored in the service in 2017 and at present he is assigned at RMFB (Regional Mobile Force Battalion) NCRPO," Albayalde added.

The PNP chief it is possible that a higher-rank police officer helped Valdez.

"I don't know how he (Valdez) survived," he said.

Albayalde said they usually don't have jurisdiction over AWOL cop.

"Sometimes we have to reinstate them so that we can have jurisdiction over them so that we can dismiss them permanently from the service," he said.

"I reiterate my directive to all PNP personnel to refrain from committing illegal activities. To those who will continue to disregard my directives, we will ensure that we will throw the full force of the law on you," Albayalde warned.

Valdez was placed under the custody of IMEG for further investigation and proper disposition prior to filing appropriate administrative and criminal charges. Ella Dionisio/DMS